Paysage
by Zane's Girl- Jo
Summary: When Fae accidentally casts a spell that brings two people that only her mother knows to the present, and sends someone she loves into the future, it could change history- and the future- as they know it. Sequel to C? and AC? Note: Title may change.
1. Chapter 1

**Paysage**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Summary: It's been two years since Fae's trip to the past. Her life is soon turned upside down when Elphaba takes sick with a deadly virus that spreads through the castle and the Vinkus. Suddenly, everything and everyone she loves is put in danger. But when she accidently casts a spell, it brings two people to the present that her mother only told her about once, as well as sending someone she loves into the future. With the virus spreading, and the unexpected visitors' arrival, everyone's actions could change history- and the future- as they know it. The sequel to Changed? and Another Changed?**

**A/N: Okay, I know you all loved Changed? and Another Changed? and I decided to do a sequel. It's time travel, but not where Fae or Elphaba travel, it's got three people traveling in time, but it has to do _with_ Fae and Elphaba. **

**A/N: Musical based with some book references.**

**A/N: Reading the first two are _not_ required, but would make some passages and references eaiser to understand.**

**A/N: Just like the first two, this alternates between the present and the future....starting in later chapters.**

**Chapter 1. Prologue: September**

A scream pierced the air.

Lights were lit in every room of the castle, from the servants quarters to the guest rooms.

The sound of feet rushing up the stone stairs, and down the hall were heard.

Doors opened, and people rushed out, pulling on robes and slippers as they went.

By the time most of the people reached the source of the sound, people were already in the room.

Slowly, an older woman pushed the door open, and entered, closing it behind her, but not before allowing another highpitched, heart wrenching scream to escape. The rest of the household was sent back to their rooms; they didn't sleep, they couldn't, for they knew what was going on behind the closed bedroom door.

"Is everything all right?" She asked, as she turned from the door.

What met her, brought her to the side of the bed at lightening speed.

"Elphie! Are you all right?" She asked.

Elphie, closed her eyes tight and screamed.

"Fiyero, is it time?" The woman asked, turning to the man by Elphie's side. He turned his blue eyes in her direction.

"Fetch the midwife Glinda. Now!"

Glinda, for her part, did as told, scurrying from the bed and out the door. When she was gone, he turned back to his wife.

"All right love, keep breathing." He whispered, rubbing her back as she grabbed his hand and squeezed.

"Will she be okay, Daddy?" Fiyero looked up, into eyes as deep brown as his wife's. His nineteen-year-old daughter, Fae, a second year at Shiz University, gripped his wife's hand, and met her father's eyes.

"She'll be fine, Fae."

"But what if--"

"No what if's, sweetheart. You're mother's strong. She's gone through this three times before. She'll be okay, and so will the baby." He told her, as his wife squeezed his hand tightly.

"And it never gets any easier!" Elphie screamed, squeezing her daughter's hand.

Elphaba Tiggular, Queen of the Vinkus, mother of three, was about to become a mother of four. She was a world reknowned sorceress- more powerful than Ozma- and known for her green skin and quick temper. She was fair and kind to her subjects, and cared deeply about her family.

"Yackle said she'll be here as soon as she can." Glinda said, coming back into the room. Elphaba looked at her.

"No. No! I don't want Yackle here! I don't! I don't want her birthing my baby!" Elphaba cried, locking eyes with Glinda.

"But--"

"No!"

"Okay! What do you want me to do?" Elphaba glared at her best friend.

_"Get. OUT!"_

Glinda did as told.

In the end, only Elphaba, Fiyero, their children, and Musetta- Elphaba's mother-in-law- were present for the birth. Word had been sent to Yackle that her services were no longer needed.

"Push, Elphaba."

The queen did as told, squeezing her son and daughter's hands as hard as she could. Candle, her daughter-in-law, rubbed her back, calming her. Fiyero helped his wife deliver their child, and Musetta kept her calm.

"Come on love, you're doing great." He told her, as the baby's head emerged.

Her labor lasted long into the night.

Finally, she gave that final push.

"You're doing great, Mama!" Fae cried, as her mother squeezed her hand.

"Come on Mom, you can do it." Liir whispered, kissing her cheek.

"You're doing fine, Your Majesty." Candle told her, gently rubbing her back.

Elphaba let out a scream, as she felt her daughter slide out of her into her husband's arms. A baby's cry was heard, and Elphaba looked up, to see her husband cradling a screaming newborn in his arms.

"She's beautiful, Fae, simply beautiful. You did a wonderful job, my darling." He told her, as he laid the baby in his mother's arms, allowing her to clean the baby off as he cut the cord.

"You did it, Mama! You did it!" Fae cried, pressing her forehead against Elphaba's temple. Elphaba reached up and gently patted her daughter's cheek, before kissing her gently on the lips.

"Thank you, my sweet girl. I couldn't have done it without you." Elphaba whispered, as she lay back against the pillows, finally able to relax. She looked up when Fiyero leaned down to kiss her.

"I'm so proud of you."

"Is she healthy?"

"She's beautiful. Absolutely beautiful, _mi regina_. Absolutely beautiful."

"As beautiful as Fae was when she was born?" Elphaba asked, glancing at her daughter, as she reached up to take her hand. Fae gave her a loving smile, and settled next to her mother.

"Do you want to hold your baby, Your Majesty?" The royal family looked up to see Musetta standing next to the bed, holding a bundle of pink blankets in her arms. Letting out a tear-filled gasp, Elphaba reached out for her, and the baby was placed in her gentle embrace. Instantly, Elphaba's eyes welled with tears, and she gently traced her newborn daughter's features with her fingertip.

The baby was beautiful. Dark, ebony hair, piercing blue eyes, and tan skin with a slight greenish glow. She had soft pink lips, and gazed up at her mother with innocence in her blue eyes.

"Hey baby girl. Hi. I'm your Mama." Elphaba whispered, sniffling.

"What's her name?" Elphaba looked up at her daughter.

"Muhlama."

"Muhlama?" Liir asked, looking at his mother. She nodded.

"What's it mean?" Candle asked, allowing Liir to wrap his arms around her.

"It means blossom." Elphaba told her.

"Muhlama. It's perfect." Fae said, settling against her mother's side, and reaching out, gently rubbing her thumb against her baby sister's hand. The infant reached out, and wrapped her fingers around her sister's thumb.

"Do you want to hold her?" Elphaba asked, turning to her daughter.

"Can I, Mama?" Elphaba nodded, and laid her daughter into her oldest girl's arms. Fae looked down at the baby as Fiyero wrapped Elphaba in his arms.

"Hi, Muhlama. I'm your sister. Fae." The baby cooed. Fae laughed, and looked up at her mother. "She's beautiful, Mama."

"She certainly is, Fae." Elphaba replied, watching her two girls.

"She certainly is."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2. I Wanted To Be Like You**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to Elphaba1Fan and greengirl16 for reviewing 1. **

"Mama? Where do you want this?"

"Over on the counter, please. Thank you, Fae."

"Welcome."

Fae Illnora Rose Tiggular wrapped her arms around her mother's tiny waist from behind. She pressed her forehead against her mother's temple, and then kissed her cheek. Elphaba patted her daughter's hands, before removing herself from the embrace. Fae sighed, and tossed her long raven hair over her shoulder, before crossing her arms and staring at her mother.

Elphaba glanced at her oldest daughter as she picked up the vegetables and placed them on the cutting board.

"What?"

"Mama why do you always do that?"

"Do what?" Elphaba asked, as she began chopping.

"This." Fae said, going over and laying her hand over her mother's.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Elphaba replied, removing her daughter's hand and then returning to her task.

"Yes you do. And I'm talking about every time I try to hug you or.....kiss you or.....get close to you in anyway you pull away from me. You treat me like I've got the plague or....grew a second head or....." Fae stopped, and played with a strand of her long raven hair. "Mama did I do something wrong?" She looked up at Elphaba, and for a minute, reminded her of the child she'd raised. Of course Fae was no longer a child.

Twenty years had passed.

A year since Muhlama's birth. The baby girl was now a year, and Fae, Elphaba's oldest girl, twenty.

Two years before, Fae had been sent to the past- her mother's past- when a spell her close friend Makinla Upland had accidently cast the wrong spell during sorcery class. Fae had been gone for months, worrying Elphaba, her husband Fiyero, and everyone else sick. The teen had watched major events in her mother's life unfold- her graduation from Shiz University, her son Liir's birth (Fae's older brother), her father-in-law's (Fae's grandfather) death, her and Yero's coronation, Fae's birth (the two coupled together were enough to make Fae vow to _never_ have children), her youngest daughter- Melena's birth and death, and the funeral. To get home, she'd had to forgive her mother for her younger sister's death, and once she'd gotten back home, she'd told her mother everything, as well as listening to Elphaba tell her own story of time travel and prophecy. Then, a year later, was Liir and his girlfriend Candle's wedding. She'd met Trism von Cavelish, a friend of Candle's. There'd been an instant attraction. Not long after they met, she discovered that her mother was again pregnant, and Muhlama had been born in September.

Fae and Trism were both students at Shiz, and had been dating since last year. It seemed like history was repeating itself.

The young Vinkun Princess had one week left of classes before graduation, and then she planned to come back to the Vinkus. But not to marry, as had been her parents' options for her. She wanted to help her mother raise her sister, and maybe teach the children in the village. She loved Trism, she truly did, but she didn't see marriage in her future. And since her return, things in the family had been going well, up until recently.

Recently, Elphaba had been acting distant and moody, refusing to talk to or even be around Fae unless she had to be. Fiyero assumed it was due to the stress of raising a year old, but Fae thought it had to do with something else. She'd taken it for the last few weeks, but now it was time to confront her.

Sighing, Fae reached out and grabbed the knife from her mother.

"Mama answer me. Did I do something wrong?" Elphaba didn't respond. "Mama, what did I do?"

"Nothing Fae, nothing." The queen whispered, leaning against the island in the kitchen.

"You're lying. What did I do? I want to know. Tell me!"

_"Nothing, all right! You did nothing!" _Elphaba snapped, throwing up her hands and turning from her daughter. She went to the stove and with a quick rub of her thumb, index, middle, and ring fiingers, had it lit and was boiling a pot of tea.

"Mama." Fae went to her and laid her hands on her shoulders.

"I'm fine, Fae. I just....I just have a headache." She sighed, placing her hand over her daughter's and rubbing it.

"A headache?"

The queen nodded.

"Just a little headache. I promise."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3. My Heart Is Still Recovering**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Question: Is something wrong with Elphaba?**

**Answer: you'll find out....**

**Thanks to -greenTARDISgal-, Elphaba1Fan, and greengirl16 for reviewing 2.**

"Mama!"

Elphaba looked up, to see Muhlama running to her on shaky legs, her father behind her. The little girl had long, ebony hair, blue eyes, and tan skin with a greenish glow. Her navel had been pierced after her birth- as was custom of the royal women of the Arjiki- a little green flower navel ring. After all, her name meant 'blossom.' She also had the blue diamond tattoos, like every member of the ruling class.

Giving her little girl a smile, Elphaba knelt down, and held her arms out. The little girl stumbled into her mother's open arms, like a colt learning to trot. Gently, she kissed her cheek, and scooped her into her arms, before standing.

"Hello my blossom. What have you been up too?" She asked, pressing her forehead against her daughter's. Fae's heart skipped a beat. Watching her mother cuddle her little sister made Fae feel like an outsider in her own family. It seemed like Elphaba loved her little sister more than her, like she never _had_ loved Fae. As she sniffled, she felt arms wrap around her waist, and turned, to find herself staring into her father's blue eyes.

"Hi Daddy." She whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"How have you been my sweet pea? Helping your mother?" He asked, giving her a gentle squeeze. Fae nodded. Gently, he kissed her forehead, and then removed himself, going to the stove and lifting the whistling kettle from the stove top.

Silence reigned.

Just as Fae went to open her mouth, the Cook entered, Janseta, Elphaba's personal maid- although Elphaba thought of her more as a daughter than a maid- following behind.

"I don't mean to be rude Your Majesties, but, would you be so kind as to remove yourselves from the kitchen so we can get dinner started?" Cook asked. Elphaba nodded, and left, Muhlama in her arms. The family convened in the library, and soon, Janseta joined them.

No one talked, for no one knew what to say.

It wasn't until Fae mentioned graduation, that anyone said anything at all.

"Um....Mama? Daddy?"

"What is it, Fae?" Elphaba sighed, as she ran her fingers through Muhlama's hair.

"Um.....are.....are you going to come to graduation? It's after next weeks finals. On Saturday."

Fiyero took a sip of his tea.

"I don't know, Fae--" Elphaba started.

"Of course we'll be there, sweet pea. Wouldn't miss it for the world." He cut his wife off, and glared back at her when she glared at him.

Fae nodded.

"Our little valedictorian." He joked. "Just like your mother."

Elphaba smiled slightly.

"She's worked hard for it. She deserves it." Elphaba replied.

"So did you." Fiyero said.

Fae sat and listened to her parents' gentle banter, before one of the maids entered the library, announcing that dinner was ready.

Later that night, after dinner, as Fae headed upstairs to her room, she passed the open library door. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she peeked.

Elphaba at on the sofa, an open book on her lap. Sighing, she took her reading glasses off, and rubbed her eyes. Then, she set the book aside, and got up- slowly. Standing in front of the window, she rested her forehead against the cool glass, eyes closed.

Even from this distance, Fae noticed that her mother looked exhausted. She seemed worn beyond her years, and didn't respond with her usual sarcastic remarks like she used to.

Something was wrong.

Something was _very_ wrong.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4. Graduation**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Question: why is elphaba not as loving to her (Fae) as Muhlama?**

**Answer: Part of it is, that she feels like she's loosing Fae- remember the conversation she and Fae had in Another Changed? She's afraid her daughter's losing her innocence, and she doesn't want her to grow up. But there's also another reason, that you'll find out very soon.....within the next few chapters.....**

**Thanks to Elphaba1Fan and -greenTARDISgal- for reviewing 3.**

A week later, on Saturday, Fae adjusted her mortar board, untangling the tassles.

She'd gotten a degree in Sorcery and Writing, and now adjusted the sash on her shoulders- Blue and white for Shiz University, and red and green for her major and minor.

"Fae?"

The girl looked up, to see Makinla Upland, her roommate, and her Aunt Glinda's daughter, sitting on her bed. Makinla, now nineteen, and a second year at Shiz, sat playing with her golden curls. Her blue eyes watched her friend intently, trying to find the right thing to say.

"What is it, Kinla?" She asked, turning to the blonde.

"Um....do....do you have to graduate?"

"Yes. I can't very well stay at Shiz forever." She replied. Makinla nodded.

"Oh. I....is Anakin gonna be at graduation?"

Anakin, referred to Anakinsa Merkate- Fae's cousin, her Aunt Nessa and Uncle Boq's daughter. Anakinsa had been a year older than Fae, and graduated last year. After graduation, she went to the Emerald City, and opened her own bookstore. She'd met a young man- Rincat Merkate, a young attorney- at a cafe one afternoon, and the two had started dating. Four months after, he proposed, and Ana accepted. Her wedding had been three months after Liir and Candle's. She and her husband lived in the city, but made countless trips to Munchkinland to visit her parents, and even went down to the Vinkus once or twice to see her aunt. Ana's daughter, Sophelie Lena, was born nine months after their marriage.

It didn't seem real that Anakinsa was already married and had a baby. Sad to say, Fae was jealous of her cousin. It wasn't a nice thing to say, but she was.

"Of course she's going to be there. She's my cousin, why wouldn't she be?" Fae asked through gritted teeth.

Makinla didn't say anything. She'd touched a nerve.

Finally, the ceremony started.

After the introductions started, the valedictorian was called. Taking a deep breath, Fae looked out at everyone, and began.

"When....when we started....." She searched for her parents, and caught her mother's smile, the pride in her father's eyes. Taking another deep breath, she started over.

"When we started at Shiz, we all came from different backgrounds, different families, with different lives and different paths in life. Today, we are still on those same, separate paths, but for one small difference, something we shared, the same stop on our journey through life. Shiz University. We lived with people who were the exact opposite of us," A glance at Makinla. "and took classes with people we didn't know or even really like. We even majored in degrees that are unique to only us. Some, however, followed in our parents' footsteps." She met Elphaba's eyes, and shared in her mother's smile. "For me, my path reverses. It goes back to the Vinkus, to my home. From there, I don't know what I'm going to do. I do know that I'm going to help my mom in some way. And I know my path will be one of my choosing, and that it will take me wherever I want to go. And so that' what it ultimately comes down to. We all have our own paths, our own fates, but even with fate, we can go and do whatever we wish. With _whoever_ we wish." She glanced at Trism. "Congratulations class, we did it!"

The rest of the ceremony was a blur. Before Fae knew it, she was on the Shiz Green, looking for her parents. The first person she saw, however, was her Aunt Glinda.

"Fae!"

The older blonde hurried over to her, as fast as her volumus skirts would allow. When she finally reached her subject, she threw her arms around her and hugged her.

"Lin Lin." Fae whispered, hugging her.

"You look just like your mother. I'm so proud of you." Glinda said, pulling away and cupping Fae's face in her hands.

"Fae! Fae!" The blonde pulled away, and Makinla rushed up to her, hugging her.

"Contrats!" Makinla said. When the two pulled away, Fae turned, to see her family waiting to congratulate her.

"If it isn't our little graduate." Fiyero said, pulling her into a hug.

"Thanks Daddy." She said.

"Fae." The graduate turned, to see Anakin standing behind her. Her long brown hair was in loose curls.

"Ana!" Fae cried, throwing her arms around her cousin and best friend. "How have things been? How's Sophelie doing?"

"Ask her yourself." Ana said, pulling away. Her husband held their daughter in his arms.

"She's darling, Anakin." Fae said, reaching out and tickling the baby.

"Fae." Slowly, the girl turned, to see Elphaba standing across from her. She had a smile on, the first smile Fae had seen directed towards her in weeks. Choking back tears, Fae rushed to her mother, and threw her arms around her.

"Mama!"

"I'm so proud of you, my sweet girl." Elphaba whispered. Gently, she kissed Fae's temple.

Later that night, Fae, Fiyero, and Elphaba sat in the living room of her parents' hotel suite, talking softly. Muhlama had been put to bed, and Fae snuggled into her mother's embrace. However, Elphaba seemed off, complaining of a headache, and they soon retired early.

"Mama?"

Elphaba stopped on her way to the bedroom.

"Yes Fae?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, my sweet."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5. Pretty In Pearls**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to Elphaba1Fan for reviewing 4.**

Two days after they returned to the Vinkus, Musetta slipped into the library.

Fae was sitting on the window seat, reading, as Muhlama sat playing with her doll on the floor at her sister's feet. Fiyero was working on something at his desk, and Elphaba was walking along the bookshelves, trailing her fingers along the spines absentmindedly. The queen had been off for the last few weeks, and her mother-in-law was concerned.

She knew Fiyero kept an eye on his wife, but still, couldn't help having the maids keep tabs on Elphaba's behavior.

So it was Elphaba she was watching as she stopped in front of the royal family. She cleared her throat, causing Fiyero to look up and turn from his work. Fae marked her place in her book, and even Muhlama stopped playing with her doll to listen to her grandmother.

Only Elphaba remain oblivious to Musetta.

She wandered back and forth along the bookshelf, her long, slender green fingers trailing the spines of her beloved books. Every once in a while, she would stop, pull out a book, flip through it, and then replace it, before continuing the process.

Over and over, back, forth, pick up, put down, turn.

Repeat.

Musetta watched her daughter-in-law repeat the process twice before she broke in.

"Elphaba. Elphaba!"

Finally, the woman looked up, to see her mother-in-law standing behind her.

"Yes?"

"I....I have the guest list for tomorrow's ball." Musetta said, holding the booklet out to her son, but keeping her eyes on Elphaba. He got up and took it, flipping through it.

"All right. Thank you, Mother." Elphaba nodded in agreement.

"Thank you." She whispered. Musetta nodded, giving her children a smile.

Fiyero flipped through the list, and went to his wife.

"So everything's in order, right?" He asked. Musetta nodded again.

"Yes. The staff will have everything ready by five that night, and they will have your things laid out by four."

Fae sighed.

They were discussing the Tecenetary, the three hundred year of Fae's family's rule. Her mother and father had wanted to cancel the ball, but at the last minute, decided to have it. It would do them good to have a little fun, was Musetta's musing. To Fae, it was a chance for her to have her parents to herself, as her parents, instead of as the rulers of the country. She was actually looking forward to it.

Later that night, Fae slipped into her parent's room.

Elphaba was sitting at her vanity, brushing her hair. It wasn't until Fae got closer, that she saw the string of pearls around her mother's neck.

"Yes, Fae?"

"Um.....I.....I wanted....to.....to tell you....goodnight."

Elphaba set her brush down, turned, and held out her hand. The girl walked over and took it. Then, she gently settled on her mother's lap, and pressed her forehead against the queen's.

"I love you, Mama."

Elphaba chuckled.

"I love you, Fae."

They stayed silent for a few minutes.

"Now get to bed. We have a long day ahead of us."

Fae nodded, and kissed her mother gently.

"Goodnight."

As she slipped out of the room, she barely caught her mother's whispered reply.

"Goodbye."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6. Weak-Kneed**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Question: What is wrong with her (Elphaba)?**

**Answer: You'll find out in the next chapter or so....**

**Question: Goodbye? GOODBYE?**

**Answer: you'll see.....**

**Thanks to greengirl16 and Elphaba1Fan for reviewing 5. **

The soft feel of the silk slipped around Fae's body, as Sarit hooked the dress.

Once done, Fae sat at her vanity, and let Sarit begin working on her hair. She watched as the girl's skillful fingers wove her long black hair into an elaborate Vinkun braid.

"There you go, Miss."

Fae gave the young girl a small smile.

"Thank you Sarit. You can go now." With a nod, the girl left.

Once she was gone, Fae did her make up, and then grabbed her jewelry. Getting up, she grabbed her shoes, and then slipped out of her room. With a quick scan of the hall, she hurried to her parent's room, and gently knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Quickly, she opened the door and slipped inside.

Fiyero was pulling on his jacket, and Elphaba stood with her back to Fae, as Janseta hooked up the back of her royal blue gown. Finally, Elphaba turned, revealing the strand of black pearls around her neck, with the necklace Fiyero had given her. Her hair was pulled back in a beautiful Vinkun braid, and her makeup was done in pretty blues and greens. She wore a pair of black heels on her feet, and black pearl drop earrings.

She looked beautiful.

However, Fae also noticed something else.

Her mother looked tired.

Like she hadn't had a decent night's sleep in centuries; like the strain of leadership had finally taken its toll.

Taking a deep breath, Fae hurried to her mother, and wrapped her arms around her. Elphaba slowly wrapped her arms around her daughter's waist, and rested her chin against her daughter's forehead.

Fae noticed that Elphaba felt much too thin underneath the soft, flowy silk of her dress, that she could feel her mother's ribs, almost distinguishing which was which. She could feel the vertebrae of her mother's spine, and the sharpness of her mother's hips from under her dress.

"Mama, are you okay? I'm worried about you." Fae said when they pulled apart.

"I'm okay. I promise. Now let me see that jewelry." She sat Fae down at her vanity and took the trinkets from her daughter's hand. Then, she wrapped the necklace around her neck, and clasped it. Then, she threaded her daughter's earrings into her ears, and then rested her hands on her shoulders. "You look beautiful."

Fae gave her a smile.

"So do you."

"Well, should we head down? They're probably all waiting for us." Both women looked up, to see Fiyero waiting for them. Elphaba nodded.

"Of course."

Silent, Fae got up and went to the door, turning back to wait for her parents.

Elphaba sighed, and slowly turned. She took a step forward, and her knees gave out. Fiyero rushed to his wife, grabbing her around the waist and holding her against him.

"Are you okay love?"

She nodded.

"Yeah. I'm just....a little tired. I should be fine for the ball. I promise."

He helped her to her feet, and kept his arm around her waist until she was strong enough to walk alone, and then took her arm, offering his other arm to Fae. As they headed down to the ball, Fae couldn't help keeping a nervous eye on her mother. Something was wrong with Elphaba.

And neither Fiyero, nor Fae, nor anyone else, knew _how_ wrong.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7. Fainting **

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

Fae looked around.

The ball was a success.

Couples danced and talked, women in beautiful gowns and glittering jewels danced with men in handsome suits. However, Fae felt that her mother outshined all of them; even Glinda.

Fae stood by the refreshment table, watching the other couples, but turned her attention when she saw her father lead her mother out onto the balcony. She saw him wrap her in his arms and pull her to him, kissing her passionately. Her mother's arms wrapped around his neck and held tight. She watched her parents kiss until hands covered her eyes, and she let out a squeal.

"Guess who."

Quickly, Fae reached up, removed the hands, and turned, to see Trism standing behind her. She let out a squeal, and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him hard.

"When did you get here?" She asked, when they broke apart.

"This morning. I wanted to surprise you." He said, hugging her.

"Trism. It's good to see you again." The couple looked up, to see Fiyero and Elphaba standing behind them.

"You too, Your Majesties." Trism said, shaking Fiyero's hand and kissing Elphaba's. The queen gave him a small smile. Fae noticed that her eyes didn't spark, that the smile her mother wore didn't have any life. Trism noticed also. "Is your mother all right?" He whispered.

Fae looked up at him.

"Now, if you'll excuse us. Would you care to dance, my queen?" Fiyero asked, leading Elphaba onto the dance floor.

The queen didn't say anything, just gave the two another small smile, and followed her husband, allowing him to wrap her protectively in his arms and lead her in a waltz. Fae and Trism watched, as Fiyero led Elphaba gracefully around the dance floor, her skirt belling out around her. For a few brief moments, Fae saw the light in her mother's eyes return, saw the woman who eagerly followed her husband in the steps, the woman Fae knew as a child, as a teenager, the woman who had danced at Liir and Candle's wedding three years earlier, with such joy, such passion.

"Well, shall we?" Fae turned, to see Trism hold out his hand.

Laughing, she accepted, allowing him to pull her to the dance floor.

Three hours passed.

Elphaba and Fiyero had retired to a corner, talking softly and sharing an occasional kiss. Mainly, they watched Fae and Trism.

"Remind you of anyone, mi amata?" He asked, squeezing her gently. She nodded.

"Us."

He nodded and kissed her hair, before letting go and getting something to drink. Elphaba sipped her wine silently.

Everything started to blur. With a quick shake of her head, she opened her eyes, finding the same blurry vision. The blood rushed in her ears, and her knees felt weak. She reached for Fiyero on shaky legs, as her head pounded. She felt drained.

Fae looked up from her waltz to see Elphaba reach out for Fiyero. She stopped, watching.

"Mama?"

"Y...Yero."

"Yes love?" He asked, turning to see Elphaba weakly reach out for him.

"Y....y....Yero----"

"Fae!"

She dropped her glass, the object shattering once it hit the floor.

"Fae!"

He rushed to his wife, concern in his blue eyes.

"Mama!"

Fae's cry stopped the orchestra, and the others dancers and guests turned, watching horrified as the Vinkun queen dropped quickly to the floor. Fae rushed to her mother, the dance forgotten. Everything happened in slow motion- the glass shattering, her mother collapsing. By the time she got to Elphaba, collapsing on her knees by her mother's side, Fiyero had her cradled in his arms, and was checking her pulse. It was strong, but fading fast.

Fae looked from her mother to her father and back.

"Daddy? W....will she be okay?" Tears gathered in her eyes and she choked back a sob. Fiyero met her eyes.

"Liir!"

"Yes Dad?" Liir and Candle had come down for the ball, and planned on staying another couple days.

"Fetch the shaman! Quickly!" Liir nodded and left, racing from the ballroom as if death were on his heels.

When his son was gone, Fiyero turned back to Elphaba.

"Come on Fae. Speak to me, love! Fae! Fae!"

His daughter covered her mouth with her hands, as tears slid down her cheeks. She only looked up when Trism knelt next to her, hands on her shoulders. The guests huddled around the remaining members of the royal family, horrified.

Choking out a sob, Fae took her mother's hand.

"Please Mama! _Please_!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8. Father and Daughter**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: I have 13 reviews, and they're great reviews! And yes, lizziemagic guessed right. Chapter 8 is up!**

**Thanks to lizziemagic for reviewing 6 and 7, and Elphaba1Fan for reviewing 7. **

Fiyero gently laid his wife among the blankets, brushing strands of her long raven hair off her forehead.

He settled on the edge of her bed, and took her hand in his, gently brushing his thumb over her knuckles.

"Daddy?"

He looked up, to see Fae standing in the doorway, still in in her ball gown, her hair hanging in strings around her face, her lovely features etched with worry. Silent, he held out a hand, and she rushed to him, grabbing his hand and curling into his side. He released her hand and pulled her to him, as she buried her face in his chest, sobbing.

"Shh sweetheart. Shh."

"Will.....will..."

"I don't know love." He whispered.

They stayed like that for several minutes, Fiyero holding his daughter close, letting her sob into his chest. When her tears finally dried, she got up and went to the window. It was several minutes before she said anything.

_"Where is the damn shaman? You sent Liir to get him two hours ago! He should be here by now!"_

She turned to Fiyero, tears leaving red welts down her cheeks.

_"Daddy--"_

Quiet, he got up, went over, and wrapped his daughter in his arms; Fae clung to him desparetely, as if her own knees would give out if left standing alone. Sobs wracked her body, and she wrapped her arms tightly around her father, her face buried in his chest.

For a moment, Fiyero was cuddling his little girl. Comforting her, from the monsters in her closet, when she scraped her knee, or when Liir played a joke on her. For a moment, he was making her fears go away, calming her down, stopping her tears.

He kissed her hair, and she reached up, brushing her fingers against his cheek, like she'd do as a little girl when he held her in his arms. Gently, he swayed back and forth, rubbing her back, whispering softly to her.

"Daddy--"

"I love you, Fae." He whispered, kissing her hair gently.

"I..love you....Daddy...."

THey stayed silent, father comforting daughter, a little girl being calmed by her daddy.

"Dad-"

Both Fiyero and Fae looked up, to see Liir enter, Musetta, Glinda, Nessa, Boq, and the shaman behind him. They saw Fae wrapped in her father's arms, saw the welts on her cheeks from her tears.

"Come in." Fiyero said, pulling away from his daughter.

"No!"

Fae latched on to her father, refusing to let go, refusing to be left alone. He just pulled her close, and kissed her hair. The others entered, gathering around the bed, watching with worry in their eyes. The shaman moved to the side of the bed, andgently took Elphaba's hand. He felt for a pulse, and then examined her eyes, checking her heart and breathing.

After a thorough investigation, he turned to the others.

"I've never seen anything like this."

"Is she sick or---"

"She's sick, but with what, I don't know. This is....unlike anything the Vinkus has seen."

Fae's chin quivered.

"Is she....."

"If we don't find a cure for this, yes, she will." He replied, answering Fae's unfinished question.

"What do we do?" Musetta asked, going to her son and granddaughter.

"Keep fluid in her, watch her, if anything changes, come get me." He said, quietly removing himself.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Your Majesty."

Once he was gone, Fiyero moved to his wife's side. Finally, Glinda spoke, breaking the silence.

"Fiyero--"

"Yes, Lady Glinda?"

The blonde bit her lip, before continuing.

"What if......what if...whatever this is.....kills her?"

Fiyero's head snapped up, and he turned, his sapphire eyes blazing. Just seeing her friend's eyes, caused Glinda to back off.

"OUT! ALL OF YOU! OUT!"

Quickly, they all scurried out the door, except Liir, Candle, and Musetta. Fiyero had returned to his wife's side, and took her hand. Quietly, Mussetta went over, and laid a hand on her son's shoulder.

"We'll get through this, Yero. We always have. She'll be fine." She whispered.

Fiyero didn't reply.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9. God Doesn't See Me**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Sorry, I haven't updated in awhile.....I've been busy, school starts in a week, but I'll try to update when I can......**

**A/N: I hit my head hard on a glass pane at a pizza parlor a couple days ago, it still hurts, so I've been taking it easy. It shocked me more than anything, and then around 10:00 p.m. that night it started hurting- feeling like my skull was split in two. That was Sunday night/Monday morning, and it's Friday night, so it's better, but it still hurts, but I updated this.**

**Question: did fae do this somehow? or is she just sick..**

**Answer: you'll find out....**

**Thanks to Elphaba1Fan, lizziemagic, and -greenTARDISgal- for reviewing 8. **

Fae woke up the next morning.

She had curled up on the window seat in her parent's bedroom the night before, and gone to sleep. Now, she looked around, to see her mother still in bed; her father nowhere to be found. Silent, she got up, and went to her room. She changed into a dress and slipped on her flats, before grabbing her cloak and leaving the castle.

Her feet led her to the cemetery.

She stood at the gate, her eyes searching the stones, before landing on her father.

He was standing alone, at a small, granite stone.

Melena.

Fae's baby sister.

She'd been still born, her death had devestated the whole family. Fae had blamed her mother for her sister's death; she was only twelve, she hadn't known better. When she'd gone to the past, she'd discovered the secret her parents had kept from her, and had had to forgive her mother in order to return to her own time.

Now, Fae slipped into the cemetery, and snuck over to her father.

"How did you find me?"

"How did you know it was me, Daddy?"

He chuckled softly.

"Mama would say that you're like me. 'You may _think_ you're being quiet, Fiyero, but you're really not. You always do something to alert me to your presence.' You're not much different."

Fae lowered her head, and let a small smile grace her lips, before stepping up to her father.

"What are you doing, Daddy?"

"She would have been eight." He turned and looked at his daughter. "She looked like you, when you were born. Except for her skin and eyes."

"I know. I.....I watched Mama give birth to her." He nodded.

Since her return from the past, Fae had told her family the whole story, leaving nothing out. They'd listened quietly, saving questions for later. Fiyero had kept his distance, unsure of how to broach the subject. He was afraid that Fae had been scarred, like her mother. He'd suffered heartache, watching Elphaba suffer the reprecussions of her trip to the future; he didn't want his daughter to suffer the same fate. So far, she had been all right.

Now, he wrapped her in his arms.

When the two pulled away, Fae turned, to see two headstones further back from Melena's.

"Daddy?" She pulled away, and went to the stones. White marble.

"What are these stones doing here?"

Fiyero joined her, sighing.

"They're....for your mother and I."

Fae's eyes widened, as she turned to her father.

_"What?"_

He hung his head, a sigh escaping his lips.

"They're for Mama and I."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10. Some Greek Tragedy**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Question: what? oh wait.. for WHEN they die.. right?**

**Answer: yes, for when they die**

**Question: is fae going to suffer like elphaba did?**

**Answer: yes, just, not as much as her mother.......**

**Thanks to -greenTARDISgal-, Elphaba1Fan, lizziemagic, and witch-of-the-west9482 for reviewing 9.**

Fiyero sighed.

He wished Elphaba was awake, she'd be able to get Fae to see reason better than he would. But she wasn't. So he was dealing with this the only way he could.

He led his daughter out of the cemetery and into the rose garden. Once there, Fae sat on the bench, watching her father examine the roses. This rose garden was where they'd concieved Fae, where they spent most of their time. Finally, he sighed, turning to her.

"When Mama and I were younger, when we were still at Shiz......not long after Mama got back to our time.....I......I....." He sighed, sitting next to his daughter.

"I found Mama in the canal. She'd....been having nightmares, and.....wanted to end it all, I assume. When we pulled her out of the canal, she was blistered, barely breathing." Her father stared at the roses, as if reliving that day.

"She slipped into a coma, and.....I stayed by her bed for six weeks, barely slept, didn't eat. Didn't do anything but care for her, waiting for her to wake up. There was a while there when... it looked like we were going to lose her. So Granda and Grandma bought the stones. One for Mama and one for me. If we lost her, well, I wouldn't have been able to live without her."

Fae gasped.

It had never occured to her that her parents would consider suicide if they lost the other. Especially her father. Fiyero seemed so strong, so brave. He was the man she'd remembered as a child, who had searched her closet for monsters, protected her from lightening, who had taken her side when she got in trouble with her mother. He was her hero. The thought that he was afraid, let alone_ weak_, was something Fae had never considered.

Until now.

Now, she saw a side of her father she'd never seen before, not even in the past.

He wasn't king, he was a husband, worried about losing his wife. He was a father, afraid of losing the mother of his children.

He was afraid of losing his one true love.

"The stones aren't carved."

"I know. We don't want them carved. Not until it's time." He whispered. Fae saw tears glisten in her father's blue eyes, before sliding down his cheeks.

Gently, Fae reached up and wiped the tears away, ignoring the sting on her skin, like her mother would do. Fiyero met his daughter's eyes, and then cupped her cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. Her shoulders shook, and she snuggled closer, feeling her father's fingers tangle in her long, black hair, safe, warm, protecting. Gently, Fiyero kissed his daughter's hair, softly humming the lullaby Elphaba would sing their daughter to sleep with.

It seemed to calm Fae, and it calmed Fiyero too.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11. Partners in Crime**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Sorry this chapter is so late!**

**Thanks to lizziemagic and witch-of-the-west9482 for reviewing 10. **

Later that night, after dinner, Fiyero returned to his wife's side. The others stood in the doorway, watching as the King of the Vinkus settled next to his wife. He pulled up a chair, and sat next to her, holding her hand in his. On instinct, he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it, before pressing her hand to his cheek.

"Please, Fae, my love. We need you. We can't lose you." His whisper drew everyone, servant and friend alike, into the room. Gently, Fae pushed through the crowd, making her way to her parents' bed and sitting on the far edge. Fiyero didn't notice her.

"You're too important to us, you have too much promise, my love. You have a country to rule and a daughter to raise. You have to come back to us." He said, reaching out and brushing her hair off her forehead. Elphaba didn't respond. He looked down at her hand, seeing her gorgeous green skin. Skin she'd passed onto her daughter.

"I love you, Fae. Remember when we first met? We hated each other. I nearly ran you over, and you thought I was a brainless idiot. There was no way it would have worked between us. Not then anyway." He chuckled softly. "We were in college, we didn't know any better. You were misunderstood and I was....popular. Anyone could have told us that it wouldn't work. If....if someone had come up to me all those years ago and told me that I'd marry you and have four beautiful children with you, I wouldn't have believed them. The green girl? No thanks." He looked back at her hand, his thumb gently running over her wedding ring.

"And then....then you went to the future. And I thought I'd lost you. And....you were gone for....months. And when you returned....you suffered greatly. I....I couldn't help feeling responsible somehow. But....when I saw you that day....I'd never felt more relieved to be in love with you." He sniffled. "And then you told me you loved me, and....my heart exploded, hearing those words from your lips. And then....you had that breakdown, and told me everything. All about...our future.......my death and......our son. Your murder and....and Fae.... I......I wasn't going to lose you."

He stopped, taking a deep breath.

"And then you asked me to make love to you."

The others gasped, they hadn't known what had happened that night; all they'd known was that Elphaba had stopped by to see Fiyero. He ignored them.

"And I did. And....I fell in love with you all over again. And I knew that.....once we'd given in to our passion, I could never let you go. So I proposed weeks later. Remember? Those first few weeks......months.....we were husband and wife? Partners in crime, that's what we were. What we are. Fae, you're my love, my life. My heart. You're my other half. You're my partner in crime. You know that. Whether it's..... horseback riding at three in the morning or.....flying at midnight.....or.....sliding down the staircase banisters.....sliding across the stone floors in our bare feet and bathrobes..... or.....planting insects in the pantry for Cook to find.....or....running through the castle at all hours of the night shouting at the top of our lungs for no apparent reason.....or.....turning all of Glinda's clothing black and then replacing her make up with face paint....I can't do it alone, Fae. I can't do it without you."

Soft laughter came from everyone but Glinda, at the prospect of her clothes being died black and her make up replaced. Fae wiped a couple stray tears off her eyes. The staff nodded in agreement. There were times when the King and Queen would get up in the morning and go to the stables, saddle up a horse, and go out for a run; more than once, the staff would wake up to see two figures fly off into the night sky. And it wasn't uncommon to hear the two racing through the halls at ungodly hours of the night, screaming like naughty children. More than once, the maids had come upstairs, to see the King grab the Queen, tickle her, and throw his bride over his shoulder and carry her back- laughing the entire time- to their room. It was quite a sight.

It was even more of a sight to be standing in the main parlor, and see someone come sliding down the banister. More often then not, it was both of them, and once they were caught, they'd act like undisciplined children. Another instance that was quite a shock to the Cook, was when she came in to make breakfast one morning, was the sight of her employers running and sliding along the stone floors in the kitchen in nothing but their pajamas and bathrobes. Both were barefoot, and laughing like it was the best idea they'd come up with in years. Of course, when she'd announced her presence, they'd stopped laughing, tightened their robes, and hurried back to bed, leaving the Cook in her sanctuary.

The King and Queen were just as youthful now as they'd been when they were the Crown Prince and Princess. As they'd gotten older, their antics had grown and gotten to be more childish. Having to take the throne didn't deter them, and creating babies _certainly_ didn't slow down their childish pranks. They just seemed to get more youthful as they got older. Fiyero believed in having a childhood, as he had, as his children had, and so he was helping Elphaba have hers- a childhood she never got.

He was teaching her to play, to laugh, to scream for no reason, to run and jump and spin. He was teaching her to let loose and dance whenever she felt like it. He was teaching her to play games and build puzzles, and color. He was teaching her to be a child. He was teaching her to have fun. It was a concept Elphaba had never known, a concept that was still new to her. It was a concept she was desparate to succeed in.

It was normal to look outside on a weekend, and see the King and Queen playing a game of hide and seek with their children; or a round of tag. The first time, one of the maids had looked outside, to see the King and Queen lounging in the apple tree in the back garden, as if it were the most natural occurance to be sitting in a tree in the middle of the day. The maid had had a fit, fetched the Cook, and promptly fainted when she got outside, seeing Elphaba jump into her husband's arms instead of casually climb down the trunk.

On another occurence, Fiyero had dragged his wife outside in the snow- making sure she was properly cover from all falling snow and water first- and taught her how to make snow angels, before engaging her in a snowball fight. Her shrieks had brough the staff, ready to defend the queen, only to find the one assaulting their mistress, her husband. He had then pulled her into his arms and kissed her, before smashing a snowball over her covered head. The game had continued, and the staff found themselves watching through the windows as their Queen enjoyed her first snowball fight without fear of moisture.

Now, dancing in the rain was another matter. While Elphaba loved to dance, she wouldn't allow herself to go out when it rained. Only if she covered up well, and even then, it was a stretch. So, in order to allow his wife to be outside when it rained, Fiyero would take her to the outdoor gazebo, and dance with her, as the rain beat around them. She was protected, but still dancing among the raindrops.

Elphaba found herself looking forward to having Fiyero pull her outside when it snowed for a snowball fight, or chase her upstairs through the corridors. She found herself anticipating when he'd wake her in the middle of the night so they could sneak off to the stables to go for a ride in the meadow. She enjoyed the shrieks coming from the Cook or staff when they found one of the insects they'd placed on the pudding for dessert, or in the stew for supper. She found herself waiting for the moment they could sneak downstairs and slide across the stone floor in the kitchen.

She was a child. A beautiful child trapped in a woman's body. She was a child who'd been repressed for years, who was finally allowed to laugh and play without fear of being told no. And it was beautiful.

Fiyero blinked, remembering the last time he and Elphaba had gone racing through the castle corridors, shrieking and laughing like children playing tag. They'd raced past Fae's room, the study, and the servants' rooms, causing all doors to open and watch as the Vinkun rulers chased each other like children. He'd chased his wife up the stairs to the west tower room, and caught her around the waist, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around. Her laugh had rung through the castle.

_"Yero!"_

Now, he looked down on the woman who had brought so much joy to their lives. Tears slid down his cheeks, and he sighed. Gently, he leaned forward, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I love you, Fae."

He whispered, before gently, planting a loving kiss on her lips. He moved away, turning back to his family and friends, only to feel a tug on his hand. Quickly, he looked back, to see her hand twitch.

"Fae?" He asked.

The next thing everyone heard, was Elphaba gasping and choking as she struggled to sit up, seizures wracking her slender frame. He sat next to her, and grabbed her hands, meeting her beautiful dark eyes.

They were dead.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12. People Will See Me and Cry**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Question: WHY?!?!??!?! WHY?!?!?!?**

**Answer: read and see**

**Question: please please continue?**

**Answer: will do**

**Thanks to kiltedwonder and lizziemagic for reviewing 11.**

Fiyero gripped his wife's arms gently.

"Fae! Fae!"

He turned back to his family.

"Liir, fetch the doctor! NOW!"

Liir did as told, rushing off to get the doctor. Meanwhile, Fiyero sat next to his wife, holding her arms gently.

"Fae. Please honey. You have to stop this."

She didn't reply, just continued to convulse. Fae hurried to her father, sitting next to him.

"Mama. Mama please!" She grabbed her mother's hand, holding tight. Soon, the doctor pushed through the crowd, and hurried to the bed. He gently removed Fae from her mother's side, before checking on the queen. She convulsed, her dark eyes rolling up into her head. Thinking quickly, the doctor pulled out a needle, filled it with something, and injected it into the queen's side. Instantly, the woman relaxed, laying back among the pillows.

"What....._what did you give her_?" Fae cried, rushing up to the doctor, only to have her older brother wrap her in his arms and hold her close. She sobbed, burying her face in her brother's chest.

"I gave her a sedative. It's put her to sleep." He turned back to Elphaba, and checked her heart rate and breathing. "Her heart's returned to normal, and her breathing. She's weak. Whatever this is.....is ravaging her body." They moved to the hall, and he continued. "I'm not sure if it's contagious, but it'd be better if you kept track of who took care of her."

They nodded, and later, when he left, gathered downstairs for dinner. Only Fiyero refused to leave his wife's side, so they sent a tray up for him. Fae, herself refused to eat, and locked herself in the library, searching for a spell to save her mother. Silent, Trism entered with a tray for his girlfriend. He set the tray on the table, and moved to her, wrapping her in his arms. She jumped, and shrugged him off, searching frantically for a spell. Quickly and softly, she started chanting.

"Jeta mes kena perba rui...."

"Fae? What are you doing? _Fae_!"

She ignored him, and continued chanting. Suddenly, several puffs of blue smoke started appearing, filling the room. When she finished the spell, she turned, looking for Trism.

"Trism! It worked! I think I found a spell to cure Mama! Trism?" She looked around quickly, waving the smoke away from her face. It cleared slowly, revealing the spot where Trism had previously stood.

He was gone.

"Trism? _Trism_!"

"What are you yelling about?"

She turned.

"Trism?"

"Trism? Who's Trism?" Fae's eyes widened.

Two women stood in front of her.

"Who....who are you two?" Fae asked softly.

"Fae."

"Yes?"

The one woman looked at her funny.

"No. I'm Fae."

The girl's eyes widened.

"Oh. And.....and you're...." She asked, turning to the other woman.

"I'm Melena."

Fae swallowed, asking softly,

"Melena who?"

The woman ran a hand through her mahagony locks.

"Melena Thropp."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13. Disturbia**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Question: Is she the same Fae from "Changed?"**

**Answer: you'll find out**

**Question: so she brought back herself, and Melena?**

**Answer: yes, Fae brought Melena and her mother's -old- self back......**

**Thanks to missabnormal6241 and lizziemagic for reviewing 12.**

Fae blinked.

Finally, she gathered her vocal chords enough to speak.

"M....Did you say....Melena?"

The woman nodded.

"Yes." She looked at Fae for a moment, before stepping closer. "F...Fabala?" She looked the girl up and down, recognition sparking in her eyes. Finally, she threw her arms around the girl. Fae robotically patted her on the back. "Oh my little Fabala! Look at how grown up you've become! Oh, you've grown into a beautiful young woman."

After a moment, Fae pushed her away.

"Elpha..."

"I'm _not_ Elphaba."

"You're not?"

Fae shook her head.

"No."

"Then, who are you?"

Fae pulled herself to her full height, pride sparking in her dark eyes.

"I'm her daughter."

"Daughter? You....you mean my little girl is a mommy?" Fae nodded. "Well, where is she?"

"Um....in....in her bedroom....." Fae said. Melena took off running. The other two watched her, before the older woman turned back to the teenager.

"Well, looks like we're going to have to go catch her before she hurts someone." The older woman said, before turning and stalking after Melena. Fae shook her head, and hurried after her.

They found Melena in Fae's parents' room. She was standing at her daughter's bedside, staring down at the girl.

"My little girl. Look at how grown up she's become. You said she's your mother?" Fae nodded.

"Y....yes." She choked out, stepping closer.

"You look like her. Beautiful."

"Thank--"

"All right. I've got--" Fae turned, seeing her father standing in the doorway of their bedroom, a bottle of oil in his hands. "Fae, who are these women?"

"Daddy." Quickly, his daughter hurried to him. "Now, Daddy, I didn't mean to but--" Melena turned, to see Fiyero with his daughter.

"Who is this?" Fiyero looked up, staring into his wife's eyes.

"This is.....my daddy."

"You're daddy?" Melena asked, coming towards them. She held out a hand. "Nice to meet you. I'm Melena."

"Melena?" Fiyero asked. She nodded. Fae gently tugged on her father's arm. He looked at her.

"Grandma." She whispered. He nodded.

"You're Elphaba's mother." Melena nodded again. "Well, it's nice to meet you." When he let go, he turned, seeing something standing over his wife. "And, who are you?"

The thing turned, startled. Slowly, it walked towards the others. Only, it wasn't a thing.

It was a person.

A woman, it looked like.

Dressed in a long, simple black dress, she wore a pointed hat on her head. A lot like the one Glinda had given his wife the night of the OzDust. The bodice of the dress had a beautiful pattern sewn on it with black thread, and the long black sleeves that reached to the person's wrists ended at the middle finger, with a loop over each middle finger. Elphaba noticed that the skirt was layered and seemed to have a bit of black lace along the hem.

The woman stood tall and regal, revealing her full height (which to Fyero and the others, looked to be about 5' 6") and smoothed down the front of her skirt. She then proceeded to take the hat off her head, brushing dust off the brim before placing it back on.

Fiyero noticed that the woman's hair was pulled back from her face. Or, had been, until she'd taken the hat off. Once it was removed, her hair tumbled down around her shoulders, thick as one of Glinda's many neon pink pillows that used to reside in the girls' dorm room, and black as spilled coffee. Like Elphaba's.

Once the dust was off the hat brim, the woman set it on the ground, before gathering her hair and twisting it loosely on top of her head. Then, she knelt down, picked up the hat and placed it back on her head, her hair hidden beneath.

Fiyero studied her. She was the same shade as his Elphaba-green. Her features seemed sharper, like she'd lived long before her time. Her eyes were the same warm brown as Elphaba's. As Fiyero looked at her, he noticed something strange.

She kept her feelings hidden, or so it seemed.

After a moment, Fiyero opened his mouth, but couldn't think of anything to say. After closing it again, he thought, then opened it and again asked,

"Who are you?"

The woman sighed inwardly, and seemed to deflate slightly. She looked at her hands, refusing to meet Fiyero's eyes. After a moment, she said,

"I'm known as Fae. However, the Wizard and his Press Secretary Madame Morrible, labeled me a witch. The Witch of the West." Fae said, her voice laced with bitterness and hate at the mention of the Wizard.

Fiyero turned to his child.

"Fae--"

"Where am I?" He looked up, at the other woman. She was waiting patiently for him to answer her question.

"You're in Oz."

"Oh." She looked around slowly, before saying, "This isn't Oz."

"Yes it is. However, this Oz, is….different than the one you know." Fiyero said, taking her in silently. She nodded silently, turning back to the bed. Slowly, she stepped up to the bed again, looking down at the woman laying in it.

"Oh Lurline. No. No…."

Suddenly, it struck Fiyero. He turned back to his daughter.

"Fae, can I talk to you in the hall?" She jumped.

"Sure Daddy."

He turned back to the other women.

"Excuse us for a minute." Once they were out in the hall, "Janseta!"

The maid came running.

"Yes, Your Highness?" She asked.

"There are two women in there with Her Majesty. One is her mother, and the other is.....a relative of hers. _Watch them like hawks_." Janseta nodded. Once she was gone, Fae turned to her father.

"But Daddy, that one woman isn't a relative of Mama's. That's Mama. Of--"

"I know. I remember Mama telling me the story of when she got back. I remember the story. But right now, you and I need to talk."

And he grabbed her upper arm, pulling her with him to the study.

"But Daddy--"

"No buts, Fae Illnora Rose."

"But--"

"No buts. Now, _what did you do_?"

"But--"

_"What did you do?"_

Finally, they made it to the study, and he led her inside, before closing the door behind them. Deciding quickly, she turned on her brightest smile. The same smile Daddy gave Mama whenever he wanted to get away with something.

"I love you, Daddy."

Fiyero glared at her.

"I _really_ love you, Daddy."

_"Fae Illnora Rose Tiggular!"_


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14. I Still Hear Your Voice**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Switching will take place in the next couple chapters.....**

**A/N: The italics are the memories, the normal is what's happening.**

**A/N: I reference another of my stories in this chapter. Virtual cookies to any who guess the story and chapter it's in!**

**Thanks to lizziemagic for reviewing 13.**

_"You're doing great, Mama!" _

_"Come on Mom, you can do it." _

_"You're doing fine, Your Majesty." _

_Elphaba let out a scream, as she felt her daughter slide out of her into her husband's arms. A baby's cry was heard, and Elphaba looked up, to see her husband cradling a screaming newborn in his arms._

_"She's beautiful, Fae, simply beautiful. You did a wonderful job, my darling." He told her, as he laid the baby in his mother's arms, allowing her to clean the baby off as he cut the cord._

_"You did it, Mama! You did it!" Fae cried, pressing her forehead against Elphaba's temple. Elphaba reached up and gently patted her daughter's cheek, before kissing her gently on the lips._

_"Thank you, my sweet girl. I couldn't have done it without you." Elphaba whispered, as she lay back against the pillows, finally able to relax. She looked up when Fiyero leaned down to kiss her._

_"I'm so proud of you."_

_"Is she healthy?"_

_"She's beautiful. Absolutely beautiful, mi regina. Absolutely beautiful."_

_"As beautiful as Fae was when she was born?" Elphaba asked, glancing at her daughter, as she reached up to take her hand. Fae gave her a loving smile, and settled next to her mother._

_"Do you want to hold your baby, Your Majesty?" The royal family looked up to see Musetta standing next to the bed, holding a bundle of pink blankets in her arms. Letting out a tear-filled gasp, Elphaba reached out for her, and the baby was placed in her gentle embrace. Instantly, Elphaba's eyes welled with tears, and she gently traced her newborn daughter's features with her fingertip._

_The baby was beautiful. Dark, ebony hair, piercing blue eyes, and tan skin with a slight greenish glow. She had soft pink lips, and gazed up at her mother with innocence in her blue eyes._

_"Hey baby girl. Hi. I'm your Mama." Elphaba whispered, sniffling._

_"What's her name?" Elphaba looked up at her daughter._

_"Muhlama."_

_"Muhlama?" Liir asked, looking at his mother. She nodded._

_"What's it mean?" Candle asked, allowing Liir to wrap his arms around her._

_"It means blossom." Elphaba told her._

"Yero. Yero!"

She waved the fog away, squinting through the darkness as she moved further into the woods. She stumbled, lifting the hem of her long white skirt as she moved barefoot through the woods. She looked around, frantically searching for someone- anyone- that could tell her where she was. All she knew, was that she was in the Gillikin Forest- where she and Yero had made love that night at the mermaid's pool.

_"One more strong push, and the young queenie shall have her son." Yackle told her._

_Elphaba did as told, letting out a scream, as she felt her child finally leave her body. As she relaxed back against the pillows, she heard her son give his first cry. She watched Fiyero cut the cord, and then reached for his hand when he joined her._

_"Do you here that? Yero, that's our son!" Elphaba said, pressing her forehead against his._

She moved on, goosebumps starting to appear on her arms. She shivered, her heart racing. Shaking her head violently, she tried clearing the dreams. No- not dreams. _Memories. _Of her children's births.

_Finally, with one last push, her daughter entered the world._

_Elphaba lifted her newborn daughter from between her thighs and held her against her chest. Tears welled in her eyes, and she wiped them away, as she got a good look at her child._

_Black hair. Beautiful, raven hair. Warm brown eyes. And....._

_...green skin._

_The tears spilled over._

_"My skin. She has my skin. Oz Fiyero, I'm so sorry. If I--"_

_"Shh. Azzittire, mi amata. She's beautiful. Simply beautiful. Green skin and all." He told his wife, kissing her temple._

_"What are you going to name her?" Musetta asked. __Elphaba thought a moment, lip between her teeth. Then, she sat up, beckoning Fae over. Slowly, the girl moved towards the young queen. Elphaba looked up at her, before looking down at the child in her arms._

_"Fae."_

_"Fae?" Musetta asked. The teenager smiled. Fiyero looked at his wife, asking silently with his eyes. She nodded softly in return._

_"Yes." Elphaba said, looking up at the two. She returned Fae's smile._

_"Fae Illnora Rose Tiggular."_

She pressed a hand to her forehead, eyes closing in an attempt to slow them. They were giving her a migraine.

_Elphaba labored for two days, and finally, her daughter entered the world on May 31st. Elphaba let out a scream, as she gave one last push, and felt her child enter the world. Taking a deep breath, she cradled her new born daughter in her arms._

_No cry._

_"What's wrong? Why isn't she crying?" Elphaba screamed, looking up at her mother-in-law. Musetta slowly reached out to Elphaba._

_"Elphaba, honey, let me see her." The cord had all ready been cut, and Elphaba held her child in her arms. Gently, Musetta took the baby in her arms, and turned away from her daughter-in-law._

_"No!" Elphaba screamed, and reached out, taking her child back in her arms and holding her against her chest._

_"Elphaba, honey--"_

_"She's not breathing. Why isn't she breathing?"_

_"Elphaba---Elphaba----Elphaba!" The young queen looked up into her mother-in-law's eyes. "She was stillborn. I'm sorry sweetheart."_

_Tears welled in her daughter-in-law's eyes, and she looked down at the baby in her arms._

_Tan skin, black hair, and most likely blue eyes. The baby was still in her mother's arms, not like Fae or Liir had been when they'd been born._

_"No. No. No!" Her cries broke the silence, and she rocked her child. Fiyero pulled Elphaba into his arms, and kissed her hair._

_Fae watched silent. She didn't remember her mother having another baby. Mama never mentioned it; Daddy didn't, Grandmama didn't, Liir didn't. Her aunts didn't mention it._

_"Mama?" Fae looked up, to see her twelve-year-old self move to her mother, and reach out, gently laying a hand on the baby's arm._

_"No! Get away from her!" Elphaba screamed, shoving her older daughter away roughly. _

Slowly, she crumpled to the ground, palms pressed to her forehead, in an attempt to stop the pain forming. She gasped, reaching down, wrapping an arm around her waist; it felt like her ovaries were on fire, like her uterus was being ripped to shreds. She cried out, tears rolling down her eyes, as the pain ripped through her lower body. Finally, she removed her hand, her eyes widening in horror.

Her long, slender green fingers were coated- soaked- in blood.

The white frock she wore was stained, and spreading quickly, from her abdomen and going lower. The pain sliced quickly through her body, and she took a deep breath, her eyes closing.

"Yero! God, make it stop!" She looked down again, before slowly, attempting to climb to her feet. She staggered a few feet before grabbing onto the trunk of a tree. She collapsed against it, sliding down the front of the trunk, her breathing starting to lighten. The pain never stopped, continuing on, sharper than before, as her heart began to slow at an unsteady rate.

She squinted through the fog, trying to make out anyone, anything that could help her. Straining her vision, she attempted one last feeble method of rising to her feet, only to return to the forest floor. As she crumpled to the ground, her last thought was of her husband, her children.

"Yero....."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15. Pocketful of Sunshine**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Question: WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!??!?!?!?**

**Answer: Okay, chapter 14 was basically going on in Elphaba's head. She's sick, so she's trapped in limbo, basically, and the bleeding, well the answer is in this chapter. It has to do with her illness.**

**Thanks to lizziemagic for reviewing 14.**

Janseta looked from both women to the queen. They looked like her. She gave both women a nervous smiled, before turned back to her mistress. Something however, worried her, and she looked closer, reaching down and gently brushing her fingers against the material near her abdomen.

"Oh god!" She left, racing towards the study. "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

Fiyero and Fae looked up, to see Janseta burst into the study, worry on her face and something staining her fingers.

"Janseta? What's wrong?" Fiyero asked. The maid hurried towards him.

"It's Her Highness! There--" His eyes went from her fingers to her face, before he raced out of the room.

"Daddy?" Quickly, Fae and Janseta rushed behind. The commotion brought everyone from their activites into the hall and bedroom. Fiyero burst through the doors, moving past Melena and Fae to his wife's side. Slowly, he reached out, taking her hand.

"Fae. Fae!"

Janseta joined him, slowly pulling back the covers.

"Th....this sir."

His eyes widened, and he reached for his son.

"Liir--"

"I will Dad, I'll be right back."

"Daddy! What's wrong--" Fae stopped, coming up to her father, her eyes widening at the sight before her.

"Oh god. Mama!"

Slowly, silently, Glinda came up to the pair, and turned, finally seeing what had transfixed the other members of the royal family. Her blue eyes widened and filled with tears, and she covered her mouth with her hand.

Elphaba lay in bed, the blankets off her slender form, her white nightgown resting against her skin. But that wasn't what shocked everyone.

Blood was spreading quickly over her lower abdomen.

"Daddy--" Fae buried her face in her father's shoulder, clinging to him, as he held his wife's hand. He didn't take his eyes off the stain, his heart feeling like it was going to stop. Finally, the doctor arrived, and ordered everyone out. Giving no complaints, Fiyero followed Glinda, Fae and Melena into the hall, his daughter in his arms.

One hour. Two hours. Three hours. By the time the fourth hour rolled around, Fiyero was going to wear a trench in the hall.

Back and forth, forth and back. Left, right, right left.

"What the hell could be taking so long?" He demanded.

"Fiyero, please, calm down. He's working." Musetta said.

"Calm down?_ Calm down?_ _How am I supposed to calm down when my wife is bleeding to death!_" He screamed, rounding on his mother. She backed up.

"Daddy?"

_"What?"_ He snapped, turning on his daughter. Fae's dark eyes filled with unshed tears, and he pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to. I just....I feel like I'm watching her lose her mind all over again. Only I'm the one losing my sanity." He whispered, rubbing his daughter's back. Finally, the doctor came into the hallway.

"Well?" Liir asked. The doctor looked at Fiyero.

"This sickness is....attacking her reproductive organs. Has she had any children recently?"

"Muhlama, but that was a year ago." The king replied, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Why?"

"We may have to perform surgery, which should stop the bleeding. And then perhaps we could discover what this sickness is."

"A hysterectomy?" Musetta asked. He nodded.

"She'll never be able to have children again, but it should save her life. At least, give us enough time to discover what this is that's killing her."

"Isn't there any other way?" Fae asked, reaching up and grabbing the buttons on her father's shirt. Red welts ran down her cheeks, and she pressed her face against his chest. THe doctor shook his head.

"It's our only option."


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16. A Slow Glowing Dream**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Any ideas on who enters at the end of this chapter? Anyone? Anyone?**

**A/N: This is the chapter that starts the alternations.....**

**Thanks to lizziemagic for reviewing 15.**

The first thing he registered, was the dull, throbbing pain in his head. Slowly, his eyes opened, and he found himself staring up at the sky. His eyes slowly came into focus, and he brought a hand to his forehead. Tenderly, he sat up, allowing himself time to adjust to his surroundings. When he'd finally gotten his bearings straight, he was able to get a good look around.

He was..... well, he didn't know _where_ he was. He knew he was _somewhere_, the question was, where?

It wasn't Shiz, and it wasn't the City. And it _certainly_ wasn't the Vinkus. That much was clear.

After a moment, he shakily climbed to his feet, trying to figure out where exactly he was. What the hell had Fae done? The last thing he remembered, was hearing her cast some sort of spell, before being enveloped in blue smoke and then.....

His head was hurting.

After a moment, he wandered down the street, trying to figure out where he was exactly. He looked around, seeing unfamiliar building and shops. It was only when he passed by a bookstore, did he get an inkling of where he was. It looked like the bookstore Fae's cousin Anakinsa owned. He moved closer, and realized that it _was_ Anakinsa's store. Finally, something he knew, and knew well. Whenever he was in the City, he always spent time in Ana's store, visiting with her or browsing the new arrivals. Relieved to have found something that was normal, he entered the bookstore.

The smell of books enveloped him, and he relaxed. Slowly, he wandered around the shop, reading the titles.

"Excuse me, can I help you?"

"Um, no...I'm just looking..." He said, looking up at the clerk, only to realize it was Ana herself. "Ana?"

The woman nodded.

"Yes. How do you--"

"It's me. Trism. Fae's boyfriend?" He said, sticking his hand out.

"Oh, that's right. I forgot. It's just....we see you and Fae so little that I've forgotten you. I'm sorry Trism." She said, shaking his hand. "It's good to see you again."

"You too."

"Do you...need help finding anything?"

He shook his head. "No. Thank you though."

She nodded, and left to help another customer. As she walked away, Trism noticed something off about Anakin.

She seemed.....older.

In the few minutes he'd talked with her, he noticed that her eyes seemed tired, and she looked worn down, as if life had gotten too difficult since graduating Shiz. Like she'd been kicked, and refused to get up. Life couldn't have gotten that hard since Shiz, could it? She had a loving husband, a beautiful little girl, and a booming business. After an hour or so of him wandering through the bookstore, Ana came back, holding her purse, her cape on around her shoulders.

"Where are you going?"

She raised an eyebrow, reminding him of Queen Elphaba. And it was no surprise, seeing as she was the Queen's niece.

"Home." She said finally, chuckling softly. "Where you should be heading now."

"But--I can't."

"And why not?"

"Because I don't where I am." She started.

"Trism, you're in the City."

"No. I'm in the Vinkus, visiting Fae and your aunt and uncle. Your aunt's deadly sick. I need to help them take care of her." He replied. At the mention of Elphaba, Ana's eyes clouded over, and she blinked, the cloudiness disappearing like the mist on a winter morning.

"You must have hit your head." She replied. "Come on. You're in no state to go home by yourself. I'll take you home." And she grabbed his arm, leading him out of the bookstore. After locking it, she took his arm again, and moved down the street, towards a part of town that Trism didn't know.

"Where are we going, Ana?" He asked, looking at her.

"Um....your house." She replied, giving him an odd look.

"Uh....Ana, I....I don't live in the City. I live at Shiz. At least until I graduate next year." He told her.

She stopped, staring at him.

"Trism, you....you don't live at Shiz."

"Yes I do."

"No you don't. You live at....you live...." She sighed, grabbing his arm again and dragging him down the street. "Nevermind. Come on."

Finally, they made it to a nice townhouse, that reminded of the townhouse Fae's parents stayed at when they came to the city on business.

"Who's house is this?" He asked, looking up at the building.

"It's yours, silly." Ana said, going up the steps and pulling out a set of keys. She unlocked the door, and slipped inside, poking her hand out and beckoning with her finge to join him; like Mary beckoning Dickon to bring Collin into the secret garden through the wall of ivory. Slowly, he followed. Once he was inside, he caught up to Ana, as she moved down the hall.

"...Guess who I ran into in the bookstore!" Ana called. Trism didn't hear the first half; he was too overwhelmed by the splendor of the place. So he didn't hear the other person enter, until his name was called.

"Trism?"

Slowly, he turned, his eyes widening at the sight of the person in the kitchen doorway.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17. Instinct**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Keep the questions coming!!!**

**Question: Is the person at the end Fae?**

**Answer: you'll find out next chapter...**

**Thanks to James Birdsong for reviewing 2 and Rosella95 and lizziemagic for reviewing 16.**

_"Our only option? What do you mean 'our only option'?"_ Fae cried, as her father pulled her to him, whispering soothingly in her ear. She took several deep breaths, waiting for the doctor to explain.

"If we don't perform the surgery, she could very well die."

"And if you do? _What if she dies during it?_" Fae cried.

"It's our best bet."

_"Then do it! Save my mother!" _She screamed, before breaking into sobs and turning, burying her face in her father's shirt. He held her close, gently stroking her hair, as she clung to him. After a moment, Fiyero nodded.

"Do it." He whispered. The doctor nodded, and after explaining that he had to get the necessary means ready, left, saying that he'd be back later that evening to perform the surgery. Once he was gone, the others entered the bedroom. Fiyero went to his wife, Fae clinging to her father. They gathered around the bed; gently, Fiyero reached out, taking his wife's hand.

"Fiyero?" He didn't say anything at his mother's voice. Taking a deep breath, Musetta continued. "Fiyero, she'll be okay. You have to believe that. She's strong, and stubborn. That's part of the reason you two get along so well, she challenges you, and you her. You know when something's wrong with her, and she knows when something's wrong with you. What's your instinct telling you, Yero? What's your_ heart_ telling you?"

He brought her hand to his cheek, kissing it. Then, with a shaky breath and tears in his eyes, he said,

"It's telling me that I'm going to lose her."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18. Five Years**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Rosella95 guessed right! Congratulotions!**

It couldn't be. It just _couldn't_ be.

She was home with her family, taking care of...... the queen...

It was then that Trism remembered seeing Ana's eyes cloud over at the mention of her aunt. Had something happened to Elphaba? And if so, why hadn't she told him?

The woman in the doorway had long, black hair pulled back in a loose Vinkun twist, and deep, piercing brown eyes. She was dressed in a long black skirt and grey blouse, that hugged her figure. But what caught Trism's attention was her skin. Beautiful, emerald skin; the queen's skin. She looked at him with eyes that seemed to have looked on heartache, on saddness, on death. However, when they landed on him, they sparked with something he couldn't identify. Love? Happiness? A combination of both? Or something else?

"Well, since I got Trism home safely, I think I'll head home now." Ana said, breaking in.

"Do you want us to take you home, Anakin?" The woman asked. Ana shook her head.

"I can make it home by myself. I'm a big girl." She replied.

"All right, if you're sure."

"I'm sure." She hugged the woman, kissing her gently on the cheek. "I'll see you later, Fae."

Then, she pulled away and went to Trism.

"See you soon, Trism. And take care of your head. Goodnight." She left, closing the door behind her, leaving Trism alone with the woman. Slowly, he turned back to her, trying to think of something to say.

"Um.....hi."

A smile broke out on her face, and she rushed to him, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him passionately. He stumbled back, finally steadying himself, stiffly wrapping her in his arms, startled by the kiss. She pulled away, and cupped his face in her hands.

"Trism...." She sighed. "Are you all right?" He licked his lips, pulling away from her.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

She raised an eyebrow, reminding him of the queen.

"Trism. Tell me the truth."

He sighed again, and ran a hand through his hair.

"All right. No. I'm not all right. I....I don't know where I am, or how I got here. Ana said I'm in the City, but I can't be, because I'm in the Vinkus, with you and your parents, and your mother's sick and..." He stopped, seeing tears well in her eyes. "What? What did I say?" He reached for her shoulder. She reached up, brushing the tears away with her sleeve, pulling away from him. "What did I say? Fae?" He choked out her name; for that was obviously who it was.

She backed up, turning from him and going into the kitchen. He followed, afraid he'd said something he shouldn't have. When he entered the kitchen, he found her leaning against the sink, head bowed, shoulders shaking with sobs. She choked out a cry, and he went to her, reaching out and resting a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged him off roughly.

"Go away."

"Fae.....what did I do?" She didn't answer. "Did I say something wrong? Please, Fae, tell me. What did I say? Does it have to do with your mother?" She nodded, choking out a sob. "Fae..." He took her shoulders gently, and turned her around, looking into her eyes. Welts ran down her cheeks, and gently, he reached up, wiping the tears with his fingers. "What is it?"

She took a shaky breath, wiping her nose on the back of her hand in an unladylike fashion. Then, sniffling, she spoke, looking into his eyes, fresh tears escaping.

"Mama died five years ago."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19. Repeat**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: Keep the questions coming! I enjoy answering them! **

**Question: Was the spell that Fae cast that sent Trism to the future the same one cast on both her and her mom??**

**Answer: you'll find out in this chapter, but to answer....yes, it's a variant of the spell cast on both Fae and her mom.**

**Thanks to Rosella95 and lizziemagic for reviewing 18.**

The surgery went as planned. While the doctor was performing the surgery, the others stayed in the library, waiting. Fiyero spent the time pacing back and forth, as Fae sat flipping through spell book after spell book for a cure. Glinda sat looking through old photo albums, as Musetta, Liir, and Candle sat talking softly, Mulhama in Musetta's arms. Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted everyone, and Janseta opened the door, revealing Nessa, Boq, Makinla, Anakinsa, Rincat, and Sophelie.

"Uncle Yero!" Ana rushed to her uncle, throwing her arms around him, burying her face in his neck.

"Yero, is it true? Is Fabala sick?" Nessa asked, going to the other members of the royal family. She hugged Musetta, before going to her nieces and nephew. Fiyero winced slightly, it was still eerie to see Nessa walking. A year ago, not long after Liir and Candle's wedding, Elphaba and Fiyero had taken the family to Munchkinland, to visit Nessa and Boq. Elphaba and Nessa had gotten to talking, and the topic soon turned to shoes. It was then that Elphaba decided to try a simple enchanting spell. The spell had worked, turning Nessa's silver shoes to ruby red, and giving her the ability to walk, the wheelchair now was no longer needed.

Now, she rushed to her brother-in-law, hugging him tightly.

"Yero, what happened?"

Once they were all seated, Fiyero told them what happened, and what was going on now. It was as he was talking, that Fae came across the spell she'd used; the spell that had sent Trism Oz-knows-where.

"Daddy?" He excused himself, going to his daughter.

"What is it, baby girl?"

"I found this spell...." He silently read it over her shoulder, before replying.

"Oh my Oz."

"What? Yero, what is it?" Nessa asked.

"This...this is the spell that...that sent Elphaba into the future. And....and Fae into the past."

"It is?" Glinda rushed to them, reading the spell. "No it's not."

"Yes it is, Glinda. It's just a variant of the spell you cast on Elphaba." Fiyero said, a bite to his voice. He had never fully forgiven the blonde for sending his wife into the future. It had nearly cost him the woman he loved, and Glinda knew that. She tugged on a curl, tears in her eyes.

"I....I'm sorry Fiyero." He sighed, and relented, hugging her.

"I'm sorry too. It's just...Fae...."

"I know. She'll get through this, Fiyero. She's strong. She would never leave you or Fae or Liir or Candle or Nessa or Boq or Mulhama or Anakin or Makinla or Musetta or me. She wouldn't. You know that."

"I know, I just...." He went to the window, looking out at the stars. "Fae and I....we'd go out around midnight, Fae and I....we....we'd mount her broom and go flying for an hour or two...spending time to ourselves....just us...."

_"Are you sure we should be doing this, Fae?" _

_"On come on, Yero. You're the king, I'm the queen, we're the rulers, we have every right to do this. Unless you're scared."_

_He scoffed. "I'm not scared."_

_"Then get on."_

_He joined her on her broom, straddling it and grabbing onto her, squeezing as the broom rose into the air. Elphaba laughed. _

_"Hold onto me. Arms around my waist, that's it." She checked to make sure he was holding onto her, before moving the broom closer to the window. It was then that he squeezed harder. She just laughed. "Hang on!" And they zoomed out the window, into the night sky. _

_"No matter how often we do this, I never get used to the feel!"_

_"You will, my love! You will!"_

_They soared among the stars, flying alongside clouds and passing the moon. All the while, Fiyero squeezed his wife's wiast harder._

_"When I said hang on, I didn't mean you had to squeeze the life out of me! Release your grip a little my sweet, I can't breathe!" She cried, glancing back as she reached up, holding onto her hat. _

_"Fae, are you sure this is a good idea?!"_

_"There's no turning back now, my love!" She replied. He let out a strangled laugh. "Hey Yero, want to corkscrew?" It took him a moment to figure out what she was asking. _

_"Wait, what do you mean--" He didn't finish, and she didn't reply, instead, turning the broom downward, sending them towards the ground. He let out a cry of surprise, holding tight to his wife, as she laughed, before pulling the broom up, a foot from the ground. They sat still for several minutes; Elphaba turned, looking at her husband. Fiyero, for his part, looked slightly green around the gills. She let out another laugh, before reaching up to cup his cheek. _

_"I'm sorry sweetheart. I shouldn't have corkscrewed. But it was so much fun."_

_He gave her a sarcastic smile, before pressing his forehead to hers, taking several deep breaths to calm his racing heart. She chuckled. _

_"Breathe my darling. Breathe." Gently, she cradled his neck, before kissing him lovingly on the lips. "Should we head back?" _

_He nodded._

_"On one condition."_

_"What's that, Yero?"_

_"No corkscrews this time."_

"Yero? What is it? What's wrong?" He ignored Glinda. "Yero?"

Silent, he left the library. They heard the door close, before lapsing into silence. Fiyero, for his part, headed down the hall, going to their bedroom. He waited outside, slumped against the wall, before the door opened, and the doctor came out.

"You can see her now."

"Is she--"

"She's weak, but, she's alive. She's responded well to the surgery, but I want you to let me know if anything changes." He thanked the doctor, and entered the bedroom, to see his lover pale and weak. Slowly, he lay next to her, resting his forehead gently against her temple. The others slowly made their way to the bedroom later on, and all stopped, to see the Vinkun king, laying next to his love, his queen, her hand held gently in his, for once, peacefully asleep.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20. Married**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

Trism stumbled back.

Elphaba had_ died_?

"Woah, woah, woah. What do you mean she _died_ five years ago? She didn't die. She's deadly ill, but she's not dead. Not yet. We're trying to figure out how to cure her." Fae took a shaky breath, and buried her face in her hands, long strands of black hair hanging loll around her face.

"Don't do this, Trism. It's not funny."

He stared at her like she was a nut.

"Not funny? _Not funny!_ Of course it's_ not funny, Fae._ You're mother is sick! She's dieing and we need to find a cure! We can't just let her die, it would kill your father--"

_"SHUT UP!"_

He stopped, looking up from his pacing and ranting, to see Fae still leaning against the sink, her face tear-stained, red welts running down her cheeks, her hair falling out of her twist, her shoulders shaking. Her breathing came in gasps, and she reached up, fingers tangling in her hair.

"Fae--" He whispered. "I don't--"

She didn't say anything, just crumpled to her knees, her arms wrapping around herself, eyes shut tight, sobs escaping her throat. Slowly, he moved towards her, kneeling next to her.

"Fae, what happened five years ago?"

She refused to look at him, instead staring at the floor, her eyes glazed over, remembering that night.

"Mama got sick. Real sick. It must have been over a period of days, because she had been off for weeks. And then, that night at the ball.... she collapsed. The doctor was called, but there was nothing he could do, except check on her after she started having siezures. And then, two days later, Janseta discovered that Mama was bleeding out, this....virus.... this.... disease....was...attacking her ovaries. She...she had a hysterectomy- making Mulhama the last child she'd ever have. Which was fine I guess, and....and soon, she....she seemed to get better. She was... squeezing our hands, and...her eyes opened. It was so _wonderful_ when her eyes opened, but then...then she began to... cough up blood. I...I remember going into their room at night, and seeing Daddy holding her in his arms, with a towel against her lips. A towel that quickly filled with blood. She lost so much blood....."

She grabbed her hair, choking out a sob before continuing.

"I..came in..."

She took another deep breath, trying to calm her racing pulse, before speaking again.

"On the night she died, I...I went into their room... and Daddy was...in bed with her, holding her....she was....con...convulsing and....and there was so much blood. Her eyes rolled back into her head..... and she gasped for breath.... this went on for...an hour or more.....Daddy.... and I.... and Lin Lin.... and Janseta....we all....took care of her as best we could....but.... but.... she passed away around midnight in Daddy's arms. The doctor later determined that...that she'd choked on her own blood...that her heart had burst....that....her lungs had drowned in fluid....that...it was due to that virus....that...it was _plague_...." She looked up at him, tears running down the red lines on her cheeks.

"I lost my mother that night...." Her body racked with sobs.

He pulled her into his arms.

"And your father?"

"He... he died a day later....of a broken heart. Lin Lin.....Lin Lin found him....in the rose garden.... he'd gone out for a midnight walk....I lost.... both my parents.... within hours.... of each other...."

"Shh. Hush Fae, hush."

Something struck him as odd, and he pulled away, looking down at her.

"And what do you mean five years ago?"

She looked up at him, reaching up to gently cup his cheek, confused.

"What do you mean?"

Fae, I....I don't understand. What happened five years ago, besides your mother and father dieing?"

She shifted, reaching up with her other hand to brush a strand of hair from her eyes. It was then that he noticed the ring on her left hand. She caught his eyes flitting to her fingers.

"We got married five years ago."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21. Sugar and Spice**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**A/N: A little background history of Fae's family in this chapter....**

**Thanks to kiltedwonder and lizziemagic for reviewing 20.**

Fae couldn't sleep.

Instead, she sat in the windowseat of her room, looking out the window at the moon, a small, hand-carved chest in her lap. Her father had carved the chest for her, for her eighth birthday. Beautiful, dark Vinkun blood- a rare wood found only in the Vinkus- with a beautiful, intricate design on top, a carving of the two coats- the Tiggular coat of arms and the Thropp coat of arms, one for her father, one for her mother entwined together- showing a joining of the ancient houses that had held a place in Oz's history since the time of the first Ozma.

Fae's mother's roots were deep in Oz's past- her ancestor, the first real Eminent Thropp- was first an advisor of the very first Ozma, and was given Munchkinland as a gift for her services. Over the centuries, the women in her family had each taken the title, but not without hardship. There had been clandestine affairs, wars, forbidden marriages, elopements, illegitament children, murder- all tied into her mother's history, a history that Elphaba had desparetely tried to forget. Her own mother- Fae's grandmother, the one Fae had brought back from the dead, _accidentally_ of course- had eloped at nineteen, to a Gillikin minister, Frexpar, and fled to Quadling Country.

Her daughter- Fae's mother- had been born on the outskirts of Munchkinland, but grew up the first ten years of her life in Quadling Country. At eighteen, she'd gone to Shiz University, and gotten a degree in Sorcery- after meeting Fae's father, and going to the future of course. After she returned, and several weeks of pain, she had finally admitted that she loved Fiyero, and the two had gotten engaged not long after. They'd gotten married, and not long after graduation, Elphaba had gotten pregnant with her son, Liir, Fae's older brother.

Six years after Liir was born, and after her parents took the throne after Fae's grandfather died, they had their oldest daughter. Fae was the apple of her parents' eyes, she was their firstborn daughter, their little girl. Then, twelve years later, Elphaba had had their younger daughter, Melena- a stillborn birth. It had thrown the family into chaos, but Fae had learned to forgive her mother, and a year ago, Fae's baby sister, Mulhama, had been born. Her mother's life had been filled with hardships, but she'd gotten through them all- much like the coat of the Thropps.

Slowly, Fae ran her fingers over the coat of her mother's family. It was a black panther, holding a scythe between it's teeth- meaning power and hard work. Sniffling, Fae moved her gaze to the other coat, her father's coat. Her father's roots ran just as deep as her mother's.

Her father's ancestors were the first in the Vinkus, worshippers of the 'pagan' faith. His ancestor had proclaimed himself king, and created the Tiggular line with marriage to a hostage- a Munchkin hostage, none the less. There had been warfare, kidnappings, murder, suicide, revolution, hostages, marriages with hostages. Fiyero's own parents were a hostage-captor marriage. Musetta's roots were originally Scrow; taken at sixteen, she'd been forced into a marriage to with Manzel, Fae's grandfather. Both had been teenagers at the time. Her father, had been the much desired son, the one to continue the throne. Fiyero was the oldest of four children, having grown up in the Arjiki tribe his entire life, and up until he went to Shiz at eighteen, he had been given the option of an arranged marriage.

That is until he met Fae's mother. Her parents always described it two different ways- her father's explanation for it being 'love at first sight' and her mother's being 'hate at first sight'. Either way, they fell in love, got engaged, and married- even against his family's tradition. They were happy, however, and not long after the marriage, Fiyero gave his parents- and the tribe- two options:

Either accept his bride and look past the fact that he had married an outsider, or throw out the monarchy, and become a democracy/republic, like the rest of Oz. Not wanting to lose what had been their way of life for centuries, his family- and his tribe- had accepted her, however slowly. At first, it had been because she was of foreign blood, but soon, it turned to her skin. But once the tribe saw that Elphaba was just like everyone else, they accepted her for her; and, years later, when Fae had been born, the tribe had rejoiced at the news that their Crown Princess shared her mother's emerald skin.

Her father's coat was a cougar, with a bow resting at it's feet, the arrows in the holder slung over its back- the symbols for strength and protection. Both cats were back to back, their tails entwined, showing the joining of the two houses. It was beautifully carved; her father must have spent days to make sure he got both coats perfect. She smiled, remembering the day he gave it to her.

_"All right! Where's the birthday girl? It's time for her to blow out her candles!" Elphaba called, as an eight-year-old little girl ran into the room, her father chasing after her. _

_"Daddy!" She screamed as he caught her, scooping her up, into his arms. "Daddy! Put me down!" He laughed, rubbing his nose against his daughter's, as her green hands cupping his face. _

_"All right. I'll put you down." He said, reluctantly setting his daughter down. _

_"Mama!"_

_"There's the birthday girl! Come blow out your candles, baby." Elphaba said, as her child threw her arms around her mother's legs. Quickly, the child scrambled onto the chair, and looked at the cake, eyes wide. _

_"Wow!" She looked back at her parents; her mother had moved towards her father, who had wrapped his wife in his arms. They watched as their daughter poised to blow out her candles, when her grandmother stopped her. _

_"Not so fast, little one." _

_"But Grandmama-"_

_"We have to sing happy birthday before you can blow out the candles." Musetta said. They did, before allowing Fae to blow out the candles. Once they were blown out and the cake cut and served, Fae was allowed to unwrap her gifts. Perched in her mother's lap, Fae relished the attention her family was giving her, as she finished her piece of cake. _

_"Here you go sweetheart." Gently, Fiyero set a box down in front of his daughter. Quickly wiping her hands on the napkin, Fae reached out, and unwrapped the box, before lifting out the present. Confused, she looked from the wooden box in her sticky little hands, to her father and back. "It's a treasure chest." He told her. Her face lit up. _

_"Really? Is there real treasure in it?" She asked, quickly opening it up. "Daddy...it's empty! You said it was a treasure chest!" She said, looking up at her father. He chuckled. _

_"It is. You have to fill it with what you treasure." He told her. _

_"But...I don't have any treasures." _

_"Yes you do." She looked back at her mother, who removed the necklace from around her slender neck, and dropped it into the empty chest. Slowly, Fae picked up the necklace. It was her mother's cherished_ _Marcasite & Seed Pearl Locket; slowly, she opened it, revealing a portrait of her parents when they were younger. She looked up at her mother. _

_"But Mama--" _

"It's yours now, baby girl." Elphaba whispered, kissing her daughter's hair. Fae wrapped her mother in a hug, as Grandmama set two small gifts in front of the little girl. Once the necklace was safely back in the box, Fae opened the two from her grandmother.

_"Oh Grandmama!"_

_"Earrings!"_

_Musetta nodded. She'd gotten her granddaughter a pair of Catherine's Roses Dangle Earrings, seeing as Fae was now old enough to wear them. _

_"Thank you Grandmama!" She cried, throwing her arms around her grandmother. _

_"You're welcome sweetheart, now open the second one." Excited that there was another gift, she turned excitedly back to the second package. She excitedly unwrapped the second small package, revealing a beautiful pair of black kidskin gloves. "Every young lady needs a pair, don't you think?" Fae hugged her grandmother close, before turning, seeing __Mama set a small, square package in front of her. Quickly, the little girl unwrapped it, revealing a beautiful, Quoxwood music box. _

_"It's beautiful, isn't it Fae?" Musetta asked, as she nodded. She wanted to touch the music box, but was afraid too._

_"Turn the crank, go on, love." Mama said, nodding. Slowly, Fae did as told. Instantly, the lid opened, reavealing a man and a little girl, the little girl balanced on the tops of her father's shoes, as he held her hands, dancing together. Fae instantly recognized the tune the box played, and she turned to her mother. "It plays our lullaby!" Elphaba nodded, as Fae threw her arms around her mother's neck. _

_After exchanging hugs and kisses, Fae turned back, to see her older brother holding a gift for her. She took it, opening it slowly. Then, she lifted out a beautiful, procelian doll, with raven ringlets and green skin, dressed in a beautiful, dark green dress, with a black sash, lace, and frills, with a dark green bown in her black ringlets. Her eyes were a piercing brown, and a set of tiny buttton up boots were on her tiny porcelian feet. _

_"She's beautiful." Elphaba said, smiling at her son. "Fae, what do you say?" She asked, looking down at her daughter. Fae hugged the doll to her chest, and reached out, hugging her brother. _

_"Thank you." He hugged her back, before pulling away. _

_"She's very beautiful, Liir. But, how did you get her?" Musetta asked. The fourteen-year-old hung his head, ashamed. _

_"I....I sold my toy boat to buy the doll." He muttered, afraid his parents would be angry. He didn't see the look Elphaba and Fiyero shared. _

_"You sold your toy boats to buy the doll for you sister?" Fiyero asked after a moment. His son nodded. _

_"I'm sorry, but I'm never going to play with then again. I sold them to a toy store in the village that buys old toys to give to kids who won't have anything on Lurlinemas. Someone will get some use out of them." He said, not looking at his parents. Elphaba glanced at her husband, before speaking. _

_"Liir, look at me." He did so, slowly. What he saw in his mother's eyes, wasn't anger, but calm, understanding. _

_"That was a very generous thing you did, Liir. Selling them so that another little boy could have a gift for Lurlinemas. And using the money to buy a gift for your sister's birthday." Relief passed over her son's features. _

_"But, why a doll?" Fiyero asked, as his son looked at him. Liir shrugged. _

_"Fae likes dolls. The dollmaker had one that looked just like her and Mama in the window, so I bought it. It wasn't much; I don't think most people wanted to buy it, because they probably thought it was ugly, so I bought it. It'd get a good home with Fae. And I still have some money left over." His son replied, pulling the leftover change from his pants pocket, before setting it on the table next to his sister's other gifts, and pushing it towards his father. "You and Mama can have it, Daddy." His parents shared another glance, before Fiyero pushed the money back towards his son. _

_"Tell you what, Liir, you keep the change, and use it for something you want." Fiyero said, reaching out to ruffle his son's copper hair. The boy pulled away. "Okay?" He nodded, laughing. _

_"Okay." _

_"What are you going to name her, Fae?" Musetta asked, as Fae hugged the doll protectively to her chest. The eight-year-old thought a moment. _

_"Melena." She didn't notice her parents' surprised looks, or the glance they shared. _

_"Melena?" Her mother asked finally. Fae nodded. _

_"It seems fitting." Fiyero said. _

Slowly, Fae opened the chest, revealing a whole trove of treasures. She dug around, before finding the necklace. It was her mother's Marcasite & Seed Pearl Locket; slowly, she opened it, revealing the small portrait of her parents. Instead of the customary 'sit still, you here and you here' portrait, this one had her mother in her father's arms, one hand clutching a handful of his shirt. Apparently, the photographer had tried several times to get them to pay attention, and finally decided to give up, because they were too focused on each other. Noses rubbing gently, he cupped her cheek gently, smiles playing on both their faces. Elphaba's long raven hair was pulled back in loose curls, that tumbled down her back.

Tears came to her eyes. Her mother was so beautiful, and her father was even more handsome than most of the boys at Shiz. She could see why Mama had fallen in love with him. His smile was enough to make your heart melt. And her mother- Mama possessed such an unearthly beauty, that she seemed to be from another time, another world; an angel that would disappear in the blink of an eye.

Gently, Fae closed the locket, and held it in her hand, as she rummaged through the chest, before remembering something. Quickly, she set the chest down, and got up, going to her bed. She returned to the chest moments later, her doll in her arms. Holding the doll close, she returned to the chest, before pulling something out. On closer inspection, she saw that it was her first sampler.

As a female member of the royal family, she had to learn how to read, write, play piano, cook, and of course- sew. Oh how Fae hated to sew. It was such a hassle, and so much easier to take whatever was ripped to her mother, or, if Mama was busy with court, to one of the maids and have them fix it. But soon, she realized that it was a necessary evil- especially when she got to Shiz. Thrown into the harsh reality that maids were _not_ an option at Shiz, Fae had learned to fix things herself when they ripped. Silent, she read the words on the old sampler,

PATIENCE AND PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Actually, it hadn't.

She'd gone running to Mama with every prick of the needle, every knot of the thread. Oh how she hated working on that sampler. Folding it back up again, she returned to the chest, reaching in and pulling something out.

It was an old, white, shawl, with something wrapped inside. Unwrapping it, Fae found three things: a black _Portwine Roses_ Wool Cloche, a black Miss Alcott Hat, and a beautiful white clutch purse with an emerald clasp. They all belong to her mother- except the shawl, the shawl had been her grandmother's. Slowly, Fae tried both hats on, before opting for her mother's cloche. Then, she reached for the purse. It was full. Slowly, she opened the clasp, and dumped the contents onto the shawl.

An assortment of hatpins, a pair of black garters that she recognized as her mother's, only one of her mother's cream-colored giselle gloves, and a hidden love locket pin that must have belonged to her mother tumbled out. She looked through each one, trying on her mother's glove before removing it and turning to the rest of the chest.

She soon removed everything from the chest, before setting it on the seat next to her and looking through her treasures. Safe to say, she was amazed at what she'd collected over the years. To some, it would be nothing but junk, but to Fae, it was a collection of trinkets and knicknacks, old jewelry and forgotten brick-a-brack she'd managed to snatch when someone wasn't looking:

An old, silver skeleton key she'd found buried in her mother's dresser drawer, a black quill pen she'd knicked from her father's writing desk, her late grandfather's silver flask with the onyx stone in the middle, one of her grandmother's cameo necklaces, a pair of her mother's opera glasses, two of her brother's clown figurines, an old pocketwatch that had belonged to her late grandfather, a navy hair ribbon, Sartia's- one of the maid's that Fae had been close to as a child, but had left after her tenth birthday to marry- handkerchief (she'd given it to Fae as a memento), her mother's cheshire manor brooch, a pair of her father's old motoring gloves, one of his pearl studded cuff links, one of her grandmother's hat pins, an old cat's eye marble, a small bouquet of pressed flowers, one of her baby sister's- Melena's- teddy bears that she'd taken not long after the baby's funeral, one of Mulhama's emerald jeweled barettes, a small tin of her mother's rosebud salve, a cork from a wine bottle, a silver candle snuffer that she'd gotten from somewhere, an old Vinkun coin she'd found behind a dresser.

She saw one of her mother's black lace fans among the pile, an old pair of her father's reading glasses, one of her mother's rings, a watch chain that had belonged to her brother. Slowly, she picked up a hair ribbon, that she instantly recongized as one of her mother's. She brought it to her nose, breathing in the scent, before placing it back with everything else. Then, she returned the things to her chest, and closed it, before getting up. Melena in her arms, she went to her bedroom door, opening it and poking her head out. The hallway was clear.

Quickly, she rushed down the hall to her parents' room, and slipped inside. She went to her mother, and gently, brushed the hair off her forehead, before going to the vanity. Her eyes scanned over the hand mirror and brush, the jewelry, makeup, perfume bottles. Slowly, she reached out, picking up a bracelet with a key on it. The silver key had an emerald and a sapphire on it. Looking around quickly, she slid it into her pocket, before returning to her mother. Holding her hand, she looked at the small heart locket ring on her mother's little finger. She popped the latch, and opened it, looking at the portrait of her parents, brother and her.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Fae jumped, gasping, and turned, to see Fiyero in the doorway. Quickly, she got up, backing away from her mother, bumping into the nightstand, hands behind her back. "All right, what do you have?" Fiyero asked, entering the room.

"Wh..what do you mean, Daddy?" Fae choked out. Fiyero raised an eyebrow.

"You're like your mother- only she hoards books and you hoard trinkets. Come on, show me." Sighing, she reached into her pocket, and pulled out the bracelet, dropping it into her father's outstretched hand. He slowly sat on the bed, looking at it, as Fae sat next to him. "I remember when I gave her this. It...was...a couple weeks after she came out of her coma, and, we were in the City. She....dragged me into this jewelry store, and....saw this bracelet in one of the cases. I bought it for her without a second thought. She...whined and complained about me getting it for her, saying that she didn't need another piece of jewelry, but...I told her that....it was the key to my heart." Fae gave her father a small smile. Then, he held it out to his daughter. "I don't think Mama would mind if you kept it."

Slowly, she took it, slipping it over her wrist, and hugging Melena to her chest. She watched her father take her mother's hand and look at the portrait inside the ring.

"I remember when this was taken. We....had tried to decide if it was worth taking a family portrait, and finally, Mama and I decided that it was. We had one hell of a time trying to get you to sit still." He said, looking up at his daughter, who blushed. "After the portrait was taken, Mama asked for a print for the ring. I'd...given her the ring for her birthday that year. She's never taken it off."

"She...twists it when she gets nervous." Fae said. Fiyero nodded.

"I know." He reached out, gently cupping his wife's cheek.

"Daddy?"

"Hmm?"

"You and Mama.....don't have any secrets, do you?" He shook his head.

"No. We agreed the night we....we got together, that....that we'd never keep secrets. Never. Our....our relationship, our marriage...is...built on absolute honesty. No lies. Not that I could lie to Mama if I wanted to. I love her too much. If I lied to her, it would break her heart and destroy her trust. I couldn't do that to her."

Slowly, Fae snuggled into her father's arms, her doll held tight to her chest. He kissed her hair, gently squeezing his wife's hand. He didn't think anything of the pressure on his hand. It wasn't until it happened again, that his head snapped up.

"Daddy?"

Fiyero ignored her, looking at his wife's hand. Gently, he squeezed her hand again. Fae turned, watching her father.

She saw him squeeze Elphaba's hand, and her eyes widened as her mother squeezed back.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22. My Baby Sister**

**Rifiuto: Non Miriena**

**Thanks to lizziemagic for reviewing 21.**

Trism started, and pulled away from her. What had she said? Married? They were _married_?

"Wait, what do you mean we got married five years ago?"

She tossed her head, sniffling.

"Just what I said, we got married five years ago."

As Trism listened, he got up, helping Fae to her feet. Once they were standing, she went to the stove and removed the whistling tea kettle. Then, she poured two cups of tea, and handed him one. She took a sip, and watched him. He looked around, taking in the stove, the cupboards, the coziness of the kitchen. Finally, he looked at Fae, who leaned against the counter.

"Um... do you mind if I set this here?"

She raised an eyebrow, so like Elphaba that Trism felt shivers run up his spine momentarily.

"Go ahead. It's your house." She muttered, sipping her tea. He ignored her, setting his cup on the counter, and then leaving the kitchen. She listened as he wandered through the house, before straightening and going to the doorway. Standing in the kitchen doorway, she watched her husband go from room to room. As he passed by once again, she asked, "Um... Trism?"

He stopped, and turned to look at her.

"Yeah?" She set her cup on the hallway table, and then laid her hands on the sides of the doorjamb. She watched him for a moment.

"What are you doing?"

He thought before answering.

"Exploring. Taking a private tour. Why?"

Her lips thinned out, and she rocked back and forth on her heels a moment.

"Well.... it's your house. Why are you taking a tour in your house?"

"Fae, I've never been here before. I don't know this house. I know Kiamo Ko, my home, and my dorm well, but I don't know this house. I've never been here."

"What do you mean you've never been here? Trism, we bought this house five years ago! Not long after--" She stopped, and took a deep breath. "We bought this six months after Mama and Daddy died." She finished softly. He didn't say anything.

"Well, I'm sorry Fae, but I don't remember. I don't remember anything about the last four years!" She sighed, and moved towards him.

"Do you want me to show you around?"

"I've seen most of downstairs. I haven't seen the upstairs."

Slowly, a smile came to her lips, and she held out a hand.

"Come on. I'll show you the upstairs."

He took her hand, and she pulled him towards and up the stairs. She showed him the rooms upstairs, pointing out certain details about some things. Finally, they stopped at one door. She pushed it open, and turned to him.

"Our bedroom. You've got to remember this."

Her shook his head.

"No. Sorry."

Her face fell, and she thought a minute, before pulling him inside and closing the door. Then, she walked him to the bed, whispering.

"Maybe this will jog your memory."

He let her take charge at first, before finally taking control himself. Soon, they lay in each others' arms, relaxed.

"So, did that jog your memory?" She asked, looking up at him from her place on his chest. Her slowly shook his head.

"No."

She sighed in annoyance. After a few minutes, she sat up, her long raven hair falling over her shoulders, covering her breasts.

"Trism, are you-"

"Do we have children?"

_"What?"_

He sat up and gently reached out, cupping her cheek.

"We're married, right?" She nodded. "Then, do we have children? Are we parents?"

She shook her head.

"No. We're not. Why?"

"Just asking."

Fae nodded.

"I noticed." After a moment. "Do you want children?"

"No. No...." He laughed, but it was forced. "Do you?"

She thought a minute.

"Not..... really."

In reality, Fae wanted children desperately. Her older brother Liir, and his wife Candle, had two children, and Fae loved her nieces dearly. Her older brother Liir had reluctantly taken the throne after their parents' deaths. Fae loved her nieces, but she wanted children of her own. She had her little sister living with them, but....

"Fae!"

"Who's that?" Trism asked, looking at his wife. Fae went to open her mouth, when she heard her sister again.

"Fae!"

Quickly, Trism got out of bed, got dressed, and hurried out of the room. Fae sighed, and slowly climbed out of bed. She got dressed, and followed. Trism was hurrying down the stairs. He stopped short, seeing the young girl standing in the hallway. Her back was to him, so she didn't notice him.

"Who are you?"

The girl turned, and for a moment, he was looking at a younger version of the queen. She was beautiful, with long, thick, raven hair, and piercing blue eyes. Her tan skin was tinged green, and her soft pink lips were in a pout.

"Muhlama."

"Muhlama? Wait... Fae's baby sister?"

The girl nodded.

"Oh. Oh! Now I remember you! But... you're.... how old are you?"

The girl chuckled gently.

"Six."

"No you're not. You're only a year old."

She raised one delicate black eyebrow, so much like the queen, it sent shivers up Trism's spine.

"Fae! You're husband's--"

"What's going on?" They turned, to see Fae behind Trism.

"Muhlama." Quickly, Fae moved past Trism, and went to the girl, embracing her. "How was school, sweetheart?"

"Good. Ms. Kertan asked us to pick someone famous and write about them. I asked it I could do it on two people."

"And what did she say?" Fae asked, kneeling so she was level to her sister.

"She asked who I wanted to do it on."

"And who did you pick?"

Mulhama's answer startled both Trism and Fae, but Fae collected herself quickly.

"Mama and Daddy."

"Mama and Daddy?" Fae choked out. The little girl nodded.

"Is that okay, Fae? You think they'd like it?"

After a moment, Fae nodded.

"Yeah. I think they would." Mulhama wrapped her sister in a hug, before letting go and heading upstairs, passing by Trism. The two locked gazes, and Mulhama threw him a worried look, before disappearing upstairs.

"Fae-"

"We... adopted her. When Mama and Daddy passed away, Mulhama was... looking at the possablilty of.... going to an orphanage. Liir and Candle couldn't take her, they had to rule."

"What about-"

"Lin Lin didn't last long after Mama and Daddy died. She.... commited suicide four weeks after. She and Mama were... the best of friends. Sisters... almost. So that was out of the question. And Aunt Nessa and Uncle Boq... well... Aunt Nessa died two days after Mama... the same thing. Plague. I couldn't let my baby sister go to an orphange. I lost one sister. I lost Melena before she was born, I couldn't lose Mulhama too. So we took her in. Raised her as our own."

Fae went to Trism, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"We have a chance to adopt her. Trism, I.... I want to. I want to adopt my baby sister. I don't want to not adopt her, and then have them... take her away from me and put her in some... some orphanage or have her be adopted by people that'll... abuse her. I don't. I won't have it. Whether you like it or not, I'm going to adopt my baby sister. She's a good girl, Trism. She keeps her grades up.... she's.... polite and well mannered... not to mention helpful around the house....and if we ever did have a baby of our own, she'd help out. Liir helped out when I was born, and I helped out when she was born. Trism please! I want my baby sister to stay with-"

He placed a finger over her lips to silence her.

"Whatever you want, love. If you want to adopt her, we can adopt her. I know how much she means to you."

A relieved smile spread over her face, and she hugged him tight.

"Thank you, Trism! Oh, I love you! I love you!" She cried, kissing him.

"Um..."

The two broke apart, and turned, to see Mulhama standing on the floor next to them.

"Are you going to cook dinner, Fae, or am I? Because remember what happened the last time I tried to make dinner?"


End file.
